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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23002678">The Elder Aspect</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/subduedSubtype/pseuds/subduedSubtype'>subduedSubtype</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cultist Simulator (Video Game), Shall We Date?: Obey Me!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Multi, Slow Burn, playing fast and loose with lore for both settings, this is super self indulgent</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:01:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23002678</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/subduedSubtype/pseuds/subduedSubtype</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two souls, seven scars, seven sins, seven forms.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Leviathan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Simeon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Solomon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. a new place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A harsh light blinded them, and they shielded their eyes, blinking away spots. A large hall came into focus as Demian rubbed their eyes. A group of men stood some ways away, and beside them within arm’s reach was someone they only knew from photos - Jekyll, their best friend and partner in crime. </p><p>They must be dreaming. That’s the only explanation. </p><p>The tall man in the center spoke first. “Welcome to the devildom,” he checked a page on the desk in front of him, “Jekyll and Demian. My name is Diavolo. I am the ruler of all demons, and all here know of me.”</p><p>At least their subconscious kept it interesting. Obvious name, though.</p><p>Diavolo continued his explanation about their circumstances. They were here as exchange students from the human realm for a year, and were to be put in the care of Lucifer and his brothers. When he paused for questions, Jekyll waved at him.</p><p>“I need my dog.”</p><p>Lucifer furrowed his brow. “Your dog?”</p><p>“Emotional support dog.”</p><p>Diavolo interrupted Lucifer before he could speak again. “We’ll see what we can do! In the meantime, Lucifer will get you settled.”</p><p>Lucifer cast a glance at Diavolo before sighing and addressing the humans. “My brother will be in charge of you both. His number is already programmed into these.” He offered two red and black cellphones. Taking it, Demian swiped it on, reassured at seeing a relatively familiar interface. Rows of icons blinked up at them. Beside them, Jekyll had tapped on the phone and called one of the only two numbers in the contacts. </p><p>The answering voice was brash and loud. Demian winced. They couldn’t make out what Mammon was saying, but Jekyll mentioned Lucifer. Jekyll pulled a face as the demon hung up on them.</p><p>“He’ll be here soon.” Lucifer’s voice was dry. “These are my brothers. Asmodeus, the avatar of lust -”</p><p>Asmodeus waved, a winning smile on his face.<br/>
“-Satan, the avatar of wrath -”</p><p>He offered a polite smile.</p><p>“-and Beelzebub, the avatar of gluttony.”</p><p>“I’m hungry, Lucifer.”</p><p>“We’re almost done here. Mammon should be here - ”</p><p>The door slammed open.</p><p>“- soon.”</p><p>The man who burst through the door had tanned skin and white hair. He glared at Lucifer and stalked over to Jekyll and Demian. “Are you the humans that’re gonna be a pain in my ass?”</p><p>“Yes, these are the humans YOU will be responsible for.” </p><p>Demian only half-listened as they dissolved into bickering, the sounds of the room muffled as if behind a curtain. Jekyll glanced over at them, concerned. They were pulled from their head by Lucifer addressing them again.</p><p>“Mammon will take you to the House of Lamentation and show you to your rooms. Jekyll, we’ll see about your dog.” </p><p>Mammon huffed and grabbed both humans by the wrist, tugging them after him.<br/>
------<br/>
The way to the House was a good walk along cobblestone roads. They passed the occasional demon whose curious looks were warded off by a glare from Mammon. Most of the light came from old fashioned street lights, studding the landscape at odd intervals. What plants were there were wiry and brittle-looking, spindly without sunlight. </p><p>Most people they passed were demons, their looks varying wildly. Some were as massive as bears, others long and lithe. Some changed into a more human form with a strange popping sound when they saw the group. The crowds thinned as they reached a wrought iron gate. Mammon pushed it open easily, despite how heavy it looked, revealing a long pathway winding to the top of a hill, where a mansion sat. </p><p>“This is the house of lamentation. If you don’t wanna get eaten, you’ll stay inside.” </p><p>“And away from Beel,” he added, like an afterthought.<br/>
Demian nodded, eyes raking over the property. They caught the smallest glimpse of a garden around the corner of the building as Mammon marched them up the driveway. A few stairs led up to the porch, and the doors to  the house were huge. Jekyll leaned over and whispered to them -</p><p>“Did you see that shape in the top window?”</p><p>Demian rubbed the back of their neck. “No. That’s kinda creepy.” They cut off their nervous laugh, though not fast enough, if Mammon’s side-eye was anything to go by.</p><p>“Uh, anyway. We’re here.” He gestured to the grand entrance hall, and the shape at the top of the stairs. “Oh, shit.”</p><p>The figure advanced, a menacing aura pouring from him. “Mammon…!”</p><p>“You guys can find your rooms by yourselvesrightbye!”</p><p>Mammon turned and fled back out the door, fast as the wind. The shadow roared in frustration, then turned on the pair.</p><p>“You’re really okay with that, huh? He left you here as a sacrifice! What a lowlife. But!” he glared at first Demian, then Jekyll, jabbing a finger at them. “What are you two doing letting him!?”</p><p>Jekyll said the words that were on the tip of Demian’s tongue. “We didn’t let him, he just did it!”</p><p>The demon huffed, crossing his arms and slouching into himself. “Whatever. Point is, don’t trust that lowlife to take care of you.”</p><p>Before they could say anything else, the demon’s eyes lit up and he grabbed them. </p><p>Demian was getting real tired of this.</p><p>“Humans! I just had the best idea! Come on, comeoncomeoncomeon.” He herded them through the hallway into a room that felt like they’d been swallowed underwater, babbling something about pacts and an anime. It was too fast for Demian to follow.</p><p>“Hey. Shut up. We don’t even know your name yet.” Jekyll cut him off before he could continue his rant.</p><p>The demon’s offended look faded into a flash of sheepishness. </p><p>“I’m Leviathan. I’m the avatar of envy.” He cleared his throat. “So, uh. Right. Mammon owes me money. I need it back. That’s where you come in. Humans can make pacts with us, and we’re forced to obey. You can make him pay me back!”</p><p>Jekyll looked as skeptical as Demian felt. “What does that involve?”</p><p>“Most pacts bet your soul -”</p><p>“We are not doing that.”</p><p>“I’m not done yet! You just need leverage. And I know just how to get it.”</p><p>Leviathan explained his plan. Demian and Jekyll withdrew for a hurried conference.</p><p>“Should we - ?”</p><p>Jekyll shrugged. “Why not? I wouldn’t mind having a demon under my control.”</p><p>“Both of us?”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>The question is if Mammon would agree to pacts with both of them. Demian took a breath and nodded sharply. Jekyll broke into a smile.</p><p>They returned to Leviathan together and agreed to his plan. He grinned and shooed them out of his room, making them promise to get the location of Mammon’s credit card out of Lucifer. The two of them ended up alone in the hallway, with no idea where to go from there. </p><p>Demian looked at Jekyll.</p><p>Jekyll looked at Demian.</p><p>“Wanna explore?”</p><p>“Uh, okay.”</p><p>Demian followed Jekyll down the hallway, watching as they peered through whatever doors were open. Though they didn’t dare to push any farther open, they looked over Jekyll’s shoulder when they could. Most rooms looked like sitting rooms, or dusty guest rooms. </p><p>That’s probably not where they’d be staying, then. Every now and then there was a table in the hallway with a trinket on it, or a painting on the wall. Demian glanced at them and stood guard while Jekyll examined them in more detail. They passed places where the hallways forked, picking branches at random. Eventually they came to a narrow iron staircase. As soon as Jekyll stepped onto it, someone cleared their throat behind them.</p><p>Lucifer stood in the doorway, looking down on them. “This place is off-limits.”</p><p>“We got lost.” said Demian, lamely. </p><p>“Speak for yourself.” Jekyll nudged Demian with their elbow.</p><p>Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose. “Have you gotten settled yet?”</p><p>Demian fidgeted. It was Jekyll who answered. “No. Mammon blew us off when Leviathan showed up.”</p><p>Lucifer growled in his throat. “<b>Mammon</b>. I’ll deal with him later. Follow me.” </p><p>He turned and led the way out of the room. Demian and Jekyll followed him as he described some of the rooms they passed. Satan’s room was near Leviathan’s, with Mammon’s a little beyond it. Eventually they came to the kitchen. Beelzebub popped his head out from the doorway.</p><p>“Hello.”</p><p>Lucifer and Demian nodded to him. Jekyll returned his hello. </p><p>Lucifer led them just past the kitchen to a wooden door. He pushed it open.</p><p>“Jekyll, this is where you will be staying.”</p><p>They went inside. Jekyll was turning in a slow circle, taking in the room. A small bed was tucked into the corner beside a large tree indoors. Its branches shaded the foot of the bed from the lamplight. An empty desk was along one wall, opposite a wooden wardrobe taller than Jekyll themselves.  A deep purple rug took up most of the floor.</p><p>“Your uniform is in the closet. If it needs adjusting, let me know. Demian, follow me.”</p><p>With a glance over their shoulder at Jekyll, Demian followed Lucifer out of the room and farther down the hallway. Quick footsteps behind them heralded Jekyll coming along. </p><p>“You’re not staying to check it out?”<br/>
“I wanna see your room too.”</p><p>“Alrighty.”</p><p>Demian’s room was much farther down the hallway, past a sculpture of a skeletal raven. Demian paused when they saw it, intrigued, but was forced to hurry after Lucifer.</p><p>“This is your room.”</p><p>Lucifer opened the door and ushered the two humans in. The room was roughly the same size as Jekyll’s, sans tree. It had a desk and wardrobe in a darker wood than the room by the kitchen, and the bed was on a balcony sort of thing with a circular wooden staircase leading up to it. The staircase wound around a sturdy pillar. </p><p>Demian was speechless. While it was simple, it was as beautiful as Jekyll’s room. They thanked Lucifer quietly while Jekyll climbed the stairs. They waved down at Demian. </p><p>“Get up here!”</p><p>Demian climbed up, wary of the lack of railings on the stairs. They glanced down at Lucifer waiting below. He called up to them.</p><p>“I’ll leave you both to get settled.”</p><p>He left, his coat sweeping behind him like something out of a tv show.</p><p>Demian suppressed a jolt when Jekyll tapped them on the shoulder.</p><p>“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya.” Jekyll held up their hands apologetically. </p><p>“It’s fine. I’m just jumpy right now.” Demian looked around their loft. Most of it was taken up by a bed, a small table right beside it. A brown rug made sure that the first thing their feet touched in the morning wouldn’t be the cold wooden floor. </p><p>All in all, it was pretty nice.<br/>
------<br/>
After Jekyll had left, Demian fell backwards onto the bed, letting the air rush out of their lungs. This was weird. Really, really weird. Demons? Suddenly meeting their internet friend in person? They’d been out of it the entire impromptu mansion tour, they’d be hopelessly lost in the morning.</p><p>They shoved the thought out of their head, biting their lip hard. They can’t afford to freak out here.<br/>
They scrolled through the apps on their D.D.D until they fell asleep.</p><p>------<br/>
Back in their own room, Jekyll kicked their feet on the rug, sitting on their bed. They were unsettled without Ruger, and without Demian’s overwhelmed tension, they’d lost their motivation to put their own unease on the backburner. They picked up their phone, sending a sticker to Demian. When there was no answer, they resigned themselves to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The tree at the foot of their bed stretched towards the ceiling as Jekyll slipped into sleep. Branches swayed in the edges of their vision, silver moonlight filtering through them. They sat up between mossy roots amid the darkness of the wood, the moss springy and damp under their fingers. A feeling of apprehension came over them, and they stood up, hand on the bark of the tree behind them for balance. It was impossible to see through the trees, and the wind through the leaves sounded like whispers, like laughter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll looked around, then turned to look at the tree behind them, and their gaze followed it up, up, stark against the silver moon, larger and closer than they’d ever seen in waking hours -</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A shape blotted out the light. A sudden chill ran up their neck, and they realized something wasn’t right. Their skin fit wrong. Their eyes were seeing wrong, the edges of their vision warped. They raised a hand to touch their face, already turned to the moon, and woke.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The tree at the foot of their bed was just a tree. Their bed was a bed, not the damp forest floor. They rubbed their bleary eyes. Sitting up, they felt a jolt of irrational fear of putting their feet on the floor, convinced something would snatch at them. They squashed it and reached for their D.D.D, checking the time. 6:00. Early, but not enough to justify going back to sleep. They fell back on the bed to kill time playing around with the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The banging at their door nearly startled them into dropping their phone on their chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Get up human, before Beel eats everything.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mammon’s footsteps faded down the hall towards Demian’s room as Jekyll stretched and got out of bed. They crossed to the closet, pawing through the clothes there. There were a couple of the same uniform, and other basics. Jeans, plain shirts. The drawers at the bottom held socks and, embarrassingly enough, various sizes of plain underwear, still in their packaging. Jekyll got dressed in a uniform and wandered into the washroom to finish getting ready.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they left their room, they spotted Demian coming down the hallway, smoothing down their hair with their hand. Their uniform was tidy and done up as far as it could go, in the same fashion as Lucifer’s the day before.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their eyes darted away from Jekyll’s as they made eye contact, and they fidgeted. After a moment, they asked “Do you remember where the dining room is?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll searched their memory, vaguely recalling it from Lucifer’s tour. “Yeah, I think so. C’mon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll led the way down the hallway, retracing their steps from the day before. They nearly bumped into Leviathan, coming out of a noisy room. Probably the dining room. He hissed a reminder to get the Thing before scurrying off to wherever he was headed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Can’t really escape now that they’ve been spotted. Jekyll and Demian resigned themselves to an awkward meal and entered the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asmodeus and Satan pointed out which foods were the most human-safe. The humans ate in awkward silence. Jekyll noticed Demian offering quite a bit of it to Beelzebub beside them. From a few of the other’s faces, they weren’t the only one who saw it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they brought it up after they finished, Demian rubbed the back of their neck and reminded them about their thing about eating in front of people. They insisted that there wasn’t enough time before class to think of a workaround, preferring instead to avoid the topic. Jekyll made a mental note to press them on it after classes, hurrying after them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Classes were surprisingly normal. The same sort of math and science they’d done in high school and early in university. The weird part was the classes on Devildom history and magic. There were clear parallels between Jekyll’s own belief and the history of magic here, but there were also many differences. They noted down as many as they could find, intending to look it up themselves later. Demian was just as studious.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian stuck close to their side between classes, but that was the only sign of their anxiety beyond a distant look in their eyes now and then. Jekyll still felt protective of them, knowing how much they hated crowds. The two of them skipped lunch to go over the books they’d been given, pointing out the more interesting parts. Demian had just begun to relax when they had to go back</span>
  <span> to work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the way to their afternoon classes, they ran into a man with white hair. He raised his eyebrows when he noticed them. “You’re the other human exchange students, yes?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Other? So this must be the third. “Yeah. I’m Jekyll, and this is Demian.” Demian offered a quiet “Hello” from their spot a step to the left and back from Jekyll.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Solomon. You should keep an eye on your friend there, Jekyll. They’re radiating the frightened energy that screams ‘come eat me’ to demons.” He adjusted his cape and looked Jekyll over. “You, though. You look fierce. Watch that you don’t tempt anyone to,” he cleared his throat, “...tame you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can handle myself, thanks.” Jekyll said. “I’m a witch, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Solomon looked surprised, but it seemed false somehow, like he’d already known before they said it. “Interesting. I’m a fairly powerful sorcerer myself. Perhaps we should compare tricks sometime.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian brushed Jekyll’s sleeve and they glanced over at them. “We need to get going before we’re late.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Crap, you’re right. See ya, Solomon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled after them as the two rushed down the hall. “See you, Jekyll.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After </span>
  <span>classes had ended, Mammon showed up to escort them back home, chattering nonstop. When they spotted Lucifer on the way, Jekyll took charge of Mammon Distraction Duty and Demian got away quietly. The trees they passed on the way back seemed more numerous than they actually were, multiplying when Jekyll looked away. They shook it off as a remnant of their weird dream. The Devildom was guaranteed to be different from back home. There wasn’t even a sun, for one. The moon was farther than it was in their dream, which seemed more and more like a distant memory. Demian caught up with them partway home, seeming content to just listen to Mammon ramble.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they arrived at the house of lamentation, a disheveled Lucifer was waiting for them. A large shape tore its leash free from his hands, bolting towards Jekyll. It bowled them over, wiggling in joy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, they got Ruger.” Demian watched the dog swarm over Jekyll, an amused glint in their eye. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll laughed, squinting from Ruger trying to kiss all over their face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not very obedient.” Lucifer’s tone was as dry as ever as he finger-combed his hair back into place. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He only listens to me.” Jekyll got Ruger to sit, his tail still going a mile a minute. Demian approached carefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s… bigger in person.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep. Roog, this is Demian. Demian, Roog.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian crouched and carefully offered a hand to the dog, who sniffed it thoroughly, and winced when they got licked. They stroked him, avoiding any kisses he tried to offer, as Ruger wiggled and huffed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this all you require, Jekyll?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They thought for a moment. “Yeah, I think that’s everything, other than my computer and stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The rest of your things have already arrived. For both of you. It should be waiting in your rooms.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian lit up at the mention of their computer, beelining inside. Jekyll followed with Ruger at their side, brushing against their leg. He gave Lucifer a wide berth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a glance into their own room to confirm that their things had arrived, they followed Demian towards their room. Before they could reach it, Ruger stopped to sniff at the bird sculpture, whining. After some coaxing, they continued to Demian’s room. They’d already opened the box of their belongings and were setting up a large laptop on their desk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know what I’d do without this thing,” they said when they spotted Jekyll out of the corner of their eye. “Probably go insane.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll patted Ruger, who had just returned from a sniff at Demian. He sat on their feet and rolled over. Jekyll obliged and rubbed his belly. Demian glanced over and laughed quietly. “You seem glad to have him here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am. I can’t get by without an animal.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He can’t get up to the loft, right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s hardwood. He hates it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian muttered a “good.” under their breath as they turned on their laptop. “Do you wanna play stardew valley or something? At least now our schedules line up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe later. I’m still wrapping my head around the whole demon thing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alrighty.” Demian started up a browser. They chatted for a while before Jekyll returned to their room to go through their own box.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they joined the demon brothers for supper, Demian was jittery and quiet. They brushed off Jekyll’s attempt at figuring out what happened, blaming it on a strange dream during their nap after they’d left. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll explain it later.” Not here, their eyes said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll was forced to drop it when Lucifer asked how their classes had gone. Demian slipped away after they’d cleared the table. Jekyll excused themselves as soon as they could and went after them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading! next chapter coming next tuesday.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is set somewhat simultaneously with the last chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The first night, Demian had dreamt of a silver moon reflected in a river, the world in hues of grey. They woke later than they usually did to Mammon banging on their door. They stumbled out of bed and, apprehensive in their sleep-addled state, sat on the stairs for fear of falling. After they made their way down, they went straight to the closet, looking through the clothes. After they put on the uniform, they didn’t bother brushing their hair, simply checking it in the mirror and smoothing it down. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a nerve wracking breakfast, thankfully made easier by Beelzebub, they headed to classes. The material was easy, fortunately for them. They tried to keep their distraction in check and managed to get through th</span>
  <span>e day</span>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they went to leave campus, they spotted Lucifer across the room. They remembered Leviathan’s plan. But Mammon was already here to escort them home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian nudged Jekyll and nodded towards Lucifer. Jekyll followed their gesture and leaned in. “I’ll take care of Mammon if you deal with him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, got it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you guys whispering about?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just how cool you are, Mammon.” Jekyll took Mammon’s arm and steered him away from Lucifer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh- Really!? Of course you were! Feel free to keep on talking! W-wait, where’s Demian?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Washroom. Let’s go!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their voices faded as Demian made their way through the crowd to Lucifer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, Lucifer.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Demian. Hello. Do you need something?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Be subtle, Demian. Be smooth. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>...who are they kidding. They’re terrible at speaking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to know more about Mammon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mammon? Why do you want to know about him all of a sudden? Still, I guess it’s only natural. Since he is my brother, I will attempt to be sparing in my criticism.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He continued and began to insult Mammon, a disappointed look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You said you were going to be sparing in your criticism.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I was. Is there any particular reason you asked?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now or never. Say it. Say it!</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What sort of,” they paused, searching for wording, “weaknesses does Mammon have?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you implying that you think I know his weaknesses, and can exploit them when I like? Because I suppose that is true in a way.” He smiled at them. “As long as we’re on the subject, I’ve taken one particular weakness of his and frozen it. In any case, I have something I need to take care of.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Frozen? Can you freeze someone else’s credit card? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Either way, Lucifer had already bid them goodbye and left, forcing Demian to hurry home by themselves. They caught up to Jekyll and Mammon halfway there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They </span>
  <span>reached the house of lamentation and introduced themselves to Ruger, who was very excited. After Jekyll left them, they climbed the stairs to their bed, exhausted from being on guard all day. If they missed supper, so be it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They dreamt of a field of violets under the silvered moon. The light washed the world into a haze of purples, silvers and greys. Each step crushed flowers underfoot, silver smoke drifting from the broken petals and pooling around their legs. They walked towards a clearing in the field, the mist thickening and turning the moonlight into mercury. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They knelt in the clearing, brushing aside broken stems. In the cool grey earth was a key of heavy metal, weighty in their palm. As they picked it up, the soft crunch of footsteps came from the mist ahead of them. They looked up, surprised by the sense of peace they felt. A woman walked from the mist, many-armed and headless, a soft purple smoke drifting from her open throat. She held out one of her hands, the only empty one, the others holding silvered blades, candles, her own head, the face beautiful and serene even as the throat was ragged. Somehow, Demian knew the key was hers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they offered the key, their fingers brushed her hand, and cracks appeared in the world around them, white light shining through them. Demian’s eyes widened, purple and grey and full of awe. The woman lifted her head to them, still kneeling in the dirt, and kissed their forehead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian’s mind Opened, and language left them. Their mouth opened, and smoke left them. Their body opened, and dripped with grey-gold ichor. A powerful sense of yearning rushed through them, for the woman, for the wounds and the spaces in the world where one could fit their fingers and coax it open.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They woke, trembling like a child, heart racing, their mouth dry as if they’d run a marathon. Their clothes clung to them with sweat, and they shivered with the memory of the feeling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stumbled into their washroom and scrubbed at their face, staring at themselves in the mirror. For a moment, they saw a woman over their shoulder, but she vanished when they turned to look. They sighed heavily and left their room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The crow statue was missing from its pedestal as they passed, but they spared it no thought. Jekyll noticed their state and asked about it, but they had no idea how to even begin to explain. Over the table, Asmodeus winked at them, and they flushed. It certainly wasn’t the sort of dream he was thinking. They made their escape after they cleared their dishes, eager to be out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The same words echoed in their mind, and they knew they were the words of the woman, despite never hearing her speak. A warped passage of the bible; a heretic’s prayer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>“</b>
  <b>Ask, and it shall be given; suffer, and ye shall attain; knock, and ye shall be opened.”</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they passed the beach-crow’s pedestal, their sleeve caught and tore, tore all the way up to their elbow. They froze, staring at it. Their eyes lifted to the crow, and the crow looked at them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No. No, it was a statue. Demian hurried to their room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as they’d entered, they closed all the doors, shuddered, and opened them again. Their instinct warred with the desire to recreate the dream, opening eyes and opening doors opening wounds opening themselves -</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hands wrapped around their wrist. Jekyll spun Demian to face them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on? You’re acting weird.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I just - I had a dream.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll’s eyes widened.</span>
  <span> “Of the woods?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? No. Of flowers, and, and a woman -” Demian pulled free and began to pace, desperate to get rid of the restless energy that surged in them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And peeling off your skin?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Well, that was their usual stress dream. “Not this time. I found. A key.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian strode to their desk and started looking through drawers. Ruger whined from his post at Jekyll’s side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I feel like - like - I don’t know. I need to calm down.” Demian shoved their hand through their hair and slammed the drawer shut, wincing and closing it more carefully when it bounced back open.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They sat on their staircase, breathing heavily. Ruger walked over to lean on them, and they reached up to pat his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It was just a dream, I shouldn’t be so unsettled.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll hesitated for a moment, and gathered their courage.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I had a weird dream too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian looked up sharply, and looked Jekyll in the eye. Their eyes were glassy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was in a forest. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The</span>
  </em>
  <span> forest. The moon was huge.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And silvery?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. My skin didn’t fit right, and my back itched like crazy.” Jekyll rolled their shoulders, remembering the prickling they’d felt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it’s just the new place.” But Demian looked uncertain.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Jekyll echoed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Jekyll?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you see the beach-crow move?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Beach-crow?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian blinked. There was no plaque by the crow, but the name felt right. “That statue in the hallway.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Are you sure you’re okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No. We’re in literal hell.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll laughed. “Fair. Wait - Demian, you’re bleeding.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian started, looking themselves over. Red ran down their right arm. “It must have been when my sleeve tore…” They pushed the remnants of their sleeve up to check the wound. It was shallow, and already the flow was slowing. “It looks worse than it is.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll insisted on checking it anyway. After they cleaned it, there was no sign of a wound at all. The two of them stared at Demian’s arm, perplexed. “If it happens again, we tell one of the demons.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And get me eaten?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll eat them first if they try.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian stifled a laugh at that. “Thanks, babe.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll smiled at them finally cracking a smile, the mania gone from their eyes. They sat up suddenly, remembering their discussion from earlier. “I almost forgot. Lucifer said he’d ‘frozen’ something of Mammon’s.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Frozen? No idea what that means.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Should we tell Leviathan?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll pulled out their phone and started a group chat between the three of them, relaying the message to Leviathan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Frozen? You’re sure he said that? - L3V1</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>absolutely. - dem</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Meet me in the kitchen tomorrow when no one’s around. I think I know where our objective is. - L3V1</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian clicked their phone off when Levi’s status flicked to offline and looked up at Jekyll. “That’s that, I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Curfew is soon, I’d better head back.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Bye.” Demian walked them to the door.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next few days began to fall into a routine, though the strange dreams continued. Jekyll and Demian would wake, Ruger would walk them to the front door, Demian would peel off part way to get breakfast, Ruger would stare at Jekyll until they were out of sight, and they’d head to school. They began skipping the cafeteria full of demons during the day, and ended up starving by the time they got back to the house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d taken to raiding the fridge in the kitchen for human-safe food to tide them over until supper. Demian joined them occasionally when they weren’t resting after the crowds, though they were absent today. Jekyll was midway through shoving something into their mouth when footsteps sounded behind them, stopping abruptly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They turned, hand held over their mouth, to see Beelzebub towering over them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh. Did you want something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I’m hungry.” He brushed Jekyll aside surprisingly gently for someone of his size and strength. Ruger got up from his spot under the table and wandered up to Beelzebub, who bent to pet him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll expected their snack scavenging to be over, but Beelzebub passed an apple back to them. “You haven’t been eating.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not with us.” Beelzebub turned and looked Jekyll in the eye. His face was relatively blank, but his brow was furrowed slightly with worry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well…” Jekyll hid a grimace by biting into the apple.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Demian isn’t eating enough either. Do we not have enough food for humans?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nah, that’s not it. We just.” They debated whether they should tell him, considering they’d be speaking for Demian too. “We don’t like eating in front of strangers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not strangers.” It sounded muffled, as though Beelzebub had spoken around a mouthful of food. Come to think of it, he probably had.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re not close enough for that yet.” Jekyll shifted uneasily, searching for the words to placate him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub frowned, turning from the fridge again to look at them. There was a tinge of hurt in his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I mean, it’s not because of anythin’ you guys did it’s just - how we are.” They hurried to reassure him, though not sure why. He looked like a scolded puppy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to eat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll waved the apple at him. “I am.” He looked at it for a moment, and pushed more food into their arms.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you can’t eat with us, then eat alone.” He paused, then continued. “Will Demian eat with you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Probably?” Jekyll could try to convince them, at least. Demian was more inclined to listen to them than they were the demons.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good.” He looked a little relieved, and went back to his snacking. Jekyll sat on the table and ate their apple, waiting for him to finish and go back to wherever he’d been.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub left Jekyll in the kitchen with a new mental catalogue of where most of the food was hidden (from Beelzebub, who had found most of the hiding spots already) and a feeling of warmth from his concern for their health. Though if people were already noticing them skipping meals, they’d have to keep an eye on Demian, who tended to wait until they were starving before scavenging. They pulled out their phone and sent a quick text to the group, calling them to meet in the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>omw - L3V1</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>coming. - dem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon enough, Leviathan and Demian arrived. Leviathan stood a good distance away from the humans. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re sure Lucifer said it was frozen, right? Then there’s only one place it could be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian exchanged a confused look with Jekyll. Leviathan headed straight for the freezer, muttering to himself as he pawed through it. He tugged something free with some effort and shut the freezer, holding up his prize. A black and gold credit card, suspended in a block of ice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What a weird place to put it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Found it! Just gotta thaw it out now. Two minutes on auto should do it…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian winced as he set the timer on the microwave. “Is it safe to microwave a credit car -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“WHO’S microwaving WHAT!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian tensed, startled, and Jekyll had taken a fighting stance before they realized who had just burst in. Mammon stormed over to Leviathan and pushed him out of the way, shutting off the microwave. Leviathan grabbed the card before he could and ran to the other side of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Give it back, idiot!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you SURE you should be talking to me like that, Mammon? After all, I’M the one who found your card.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, we did.” Jekyll muttered under their breath. Demian offered them a shrug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. So, do you want me to give you your card back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’d BETTER! ...Um, I mean, yes, please. Please give it back, Leviathan, sir…!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan </span>
  <span>snorted at Mammon’s mumbling. “Oh wow, this is embarrassing! I can’t believe that’s all it took for you to abandon your pride! You’re even down on your knees! You’re one of the seven rulers of the Devildom, Mammon. Shouldn’t you be ashamed of yourself?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan waved the card at Mammon, whose eyes tracked it back and forth. “If you want this back, you have to give me the Seraphina figure you won at the convenience store.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The what now? What are you talkin’ about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You forgot you even have her!?” Leviathan snapped at him, grip tightening on the card. Mammon held up his hands palm out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, fine, whatever you want, I’ll give it to ya! Just give me back my credit card!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All right, but there’s one more condition: I want you to make pacts with these humans. Both of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, a pact, fine. I’m more than happy to do whatever you… wait, WHAT!? Why d’ya want ME to make a pact with both of them!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think about it. If you have a pact with them, you’ll have to do whatever you’re told. They’ll tell you to give me my money back immediately. And since you can’t ignore a direct order from your master, you’ll do exactly that. Game over, I win!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian leaned closer to Jekyll. “Should he really be spilling the whole plan before we’ve got him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll shrugged. “It’s done now, I guess. Dumb move though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You, humans. What are you thinking, letting Levi use both of you like this? Are you stupid? Say something!” Mammon nearly sparked with annoyance as he turned on them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll looked him in the eye. “Make a pact with me, Mammon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“UH-UH, NO WAY! NOT INTERESTED! I’m the Great Mammon, Avatar of Greed, one of the seven rulers of the Devildom! Fool… do you actually think I’d let some human be the boss of me?” He sneered, standing at his full height, taller than both humans by a fair bit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan interrupted him, leaning out of the kitchen doorway and calling in a sing-song for Lucifer. “Mammon’s unfreezing his credit caaaard!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon darted over to the human duo, a smile plastered on his face. “I mean, of course I’ll make a pact with the humans! I’d be thrilled to!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabbed each human’s wrist in his hands and spoke something they couldn’t understand, and Jekyll felt a strange sensation of something slotting into place in their mind. Leviathan handed them the credit card. Mammon stared at it, then at them. He reached for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll stepped away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon started to whine. His mouth snapped shut when Jekyll made to give the card back to Levi. They took pity on him and dangled it in front of him. He snatched it up, almost too fast to see. He escaped immediately, praising his card until he was out of earshot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan turned to the humans. “You’d BETTER make sure he gives me my money.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We will.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He left the kitchen, in a hurry to be away from humans, and presumably whatever (human? normie?) germs they carried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dining room was buzzing the next morning when Demian arrived, the news of their and Jekyll’s pacts already spreading. Loud laughter quieted when Satan told Asmodeus to keep his voice down. Demian entered and caught the tail end of their conversation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eh, he won’t be awake for a while. He’s really not a morning demon, you know? And anyway, how can you NOT laugh after what’s happened?” Asmodeus suppressed another round of giggles. “I mean, this is Mammon, and yet a pair of humans were able to play him like a fiddle and force him into a pact.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan broke into a laugh, failing to squash it. Asmodeus jumped on the chance. “Hey, I hear you laughing, Satan! I know you think it’s funny too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub ignored them both, focusing on the food. Demian sat in their usual spot and served themselves what they could stomach, trying to block out the conversation going on around them. They looked up when Leviathan scolded him for eating his plate as well as the food. Demian raised their eyebrows and glanced at Beelzebub to see if it was true. Before they could get a good look, Asmodeus approached and hung over their chair. Demian stiffened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I have to say I’m surprised. I never thought an average human like you would be able to make a pact with Mammon - certainly not THIS fast. I guess they really did know what they were doing when they picked you and Jekyll for the exchange program, huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian swallowed their mouthful of food, uncomfortable. “It was Jekyll and Leviathan who did the talking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan chimed in, loud in his excitement over getting his money back, thankfully taking the attention away from Demian. Asmodeus straightened, though he left his hand on the back of Demian’s chair. They tried not to hunch away from it too obviously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know,” Asmodeus started, “I find it surprising enough that the humans managed to make a pact with Mammon, but what’s even more shocking is the team-up with Levi that helped make it happen. Don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan nodded. “Yep. I never thought I’d see the day that a human won over Levi, but here we are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan protested loudly, echoing Demian’s thoughts. “Excuse me?! Don’t go getting the wrong idea. Nobody won me over. Our interests just happened to align, that’s all! The relationship was purely business! I mean, why would I want anything to do with some non-otaku human normies? I wouldn’t! I mean, I’m spoken for! I’m no cheater! M-M-My one true love is -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cheeseburgers.” Beelzebub added. Demian nearly snorted, hand flying up to cover their mouth to preserve at least some of their dignity. Before the conversation could devolve into bickering, Asmodeus moved his hand to Demian’s shoulder. Demian froze, and lowered their fork to their plate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, the way things are going, the rest of us might just find ourselves in pacts with our guests as well if we’re not careful. If you had your choice, which one of us would you forge a pact with next, Demian?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh, shit. Demian’s eyes flicked across the room, settling on no one for long. They wracked their brain for a way out. “I can’t say I’ve really thought about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus laughed. To Demian’s overactive brain, it sounded cruel. “Oh, but just because I asked that doesn’t mean you actually have a chance with me, at least. I’m not the least bit interested in forming a pact. You won’t be able to tame us as easily as you did Mammon, Demian. In fact, it’s quite </span>
  <b>offensive</b>
  <span> of you to think that we’re as stupid as that poor excuse of a demon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian sat frozen in their seat, the threat apparent in Asmodeus’ words and his firm grip on their shoulder, and in the fake smile across his face. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ve pissed them off. I’m done for.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A loud smack broke them from their terrified daze. Asmodeus let go of their shoulder to rub the back of his head, whining. “OW! Why’d you hit me?! I can’t believe you actually STRUCK my beautiful, beautiful head! Not even Lucifer has ever done something like that! Why are you always getting so VIOLENT with me, Mammon!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>My saviour, thought Demian with an intense rush of gratitude. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was for callin’ me a poor excuse for a demon, you peabrain! Actually, I oughta hit all of ya, the way you talk about me. Y’all think you’re so great.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian let the ensuing argument wash over them, still relieved to be saved, though they felt bad for Mammon. They still felt a pang at Mammon’s response.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hate every last one of you.” He continued going on about how none of this would have happened without Lucifer freezing his credit card, and how lame of a joke it was. Demian watched Lucifer appear behind Mammon. He laughed ominously. Mammon missed it entirely, and continued. Lucifer finally spoke. “You think?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon screamed. Demian gathered their things and fled as casually as they could. Before they escaped, Lucifer called out. “Congratulations, Demian. Your opponent may have been a dimwit, but you and Jekyll have only just arrived. It’s a real accomplishment managing a feat like that in such a short span of time. Well done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Demian mumbled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We continue to expect big things from you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Damn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded mutely, and left for school and the safety of Jekyll’s presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It</span>
  <span> was midday, during the break between classes. Jekyll and Demian had found their way to their usual spot, under a large tree in the courtyard. Usually they were left alone, only a nod or a greeting from those that recognized them in passing. Most demons gave them space after Jekyll nearly hit an over-friendly incubus with a chair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Today was not most days. After the chair incident, the other students had taken more notice of them. Solomon had taken to striking up conversations in the hallways. He was kinda shady, but the angels he hung around were both kind. Not surprising, considering what they were. Cute, too, in different ways. Simeon was gorgeous, with a kind smile and surprising wit. Luke was more towards the adorable end of the scale, the same eager nature as a puppy, as much as he hated being called a dog. Not like that stopped anyone, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Today, Solomon was alone as he approached them. He sat without pausing to ask for permission and leaned forward, enigmatic smile ever present. Demian eyed him suspiciously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I heard something interesting about you, Jekyll.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what is that?” They shut their book with a snap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re immune to Asmodeus’ powers.” He searched their face like the secret to their immunity was written somewhere on it for him to find.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d learned soon after they arrived that while Demian was still affected (and very unhappy about it), Jekyll was immune, much to Asmodeus’ disappointment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. And?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was curious </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> how.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He broke into a grin. “Do you want to find out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was how they ended up here, the four of them in Asmodeus’ room. Solomon had them sitting on the floor in a circle, Asmodeus across from Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is how we’re gonna do this: Demian will be our control group.” He motioned to them, sitting across from him. Demian rubbed the bridge of their nose unhappily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Joy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Solomon ignored them and continued. “I’ll use my magic to boost Asmodeus’ powers and see how much it takes to charm Jekyll.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I look forward to seeing what you look like blushing.” Asmodeus winked at Jekyll, smiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready?” Solomon turned to Jekyll, watching them closely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Jekyll adjusted their legs under them to get more comfortable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus’ human form melted away into his midform as Solomon’s magic flowed into him through their clasped hands. He opened his eyes, shining pale pink. He turned them on Jekyll. They felt nothing, other than a slight prickling along their skin. When he looked to Demian, their face turned bright red and they hid behind their hands, </span>
  <span>wheezing softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not enough, hm?” Solomon poured more of his power into Asmodeus, who shivered happily.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This time, Jekyll felt their cheeks begin to warm and their pulse begin to speed up, before something cool touched their face and the effects of Asmodeus’ power began to fade.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus frowned.</span>
  <span> “That should have worked, I had them!” </span>
  <span>He turned on Demian, who outright refused to look at him, opting instead to curl up so their hair hid their face, abandoning dignity. Asmodeus doubled his effort to charm Jekyll, but just as his eyes began to glow again, a look of confusion passed over his face. Solomon leaned over, his eyes searching Asmo’s face. “What happened?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They just - felt like someone else for a moment. I’m sorry,  I think that’s enough for now. They’re immune.” Demian was only too glad to get out of there, moving almost before Asmodeus finished speaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus shooed the rest out of his room, leaning back against the door when they’d left. He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh, pushing away the well of grief. It was just his imagination. He hadn’t really felt Lilith’s presence. But there was something intriguing about Jekyll and their immunity to his charm, and he was going to find out what it was one way or another.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Demian still saw the shapes in the corners of their eyes. It was this place, or the air, the way the moon was omnipresent and luminous. </span>
  <span>Lucifer had ensured they had all the medications they needed, so it wasn’t some sort of bizarre withdrawal hallucination. They’d never had that sort of symptom anyway, it just felt like they had the flu for a couple days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anyway. It wasn’t the medication or lack thereof. It could be a weird demon magic thing now that they had the pact, but. Nothing in class had sounded similar.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The classes here were interesting once they could focus past the press of bodies around them. History and law aside, they enjoyed learning what they could about magic. Jekyll was a great help, as a witch themselves, despite some of it being unfamiliar to both of them. When around crowds, the shapes faded to nothingness, and so Demian spent more time than usual in the common areas of the house, studying or playing on their laptop.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was on one of these afternoons that they were spotted. The rasp of scales along the ground gave away his approach, and was the only reason why Demian did not startle when Leviathan leaned over the back of the couch. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’re you playing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They looked up, taking in the slit pupils and branching horns of his halfway form.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sunless skies.” They moved to show him, feeling it would be rude to block it now that he’d mentioned it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan leaned farther over to see the screen. “Is that a train?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, a space train.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His questions continued, and Demian began to relax and give more than half-answers, secure in their knowledge of at least this game. They ended up babbling more about the lore of the setting and their own characters than they’d meant to, and flushed with embarrassment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You… have ocs?” Leviathan caught on immediately, to Demian’s chagrin. They’d hoped to make it out of this with their dignity intact. But this is it. The otaku extraordinaire, judging them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...yes.” they muttered, flushed with shame.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me too!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Tell me about your ocs.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan circled the couch and sat down a little closer than was comfortable in his excitement, his tail sweeping side to side, and began rapidly explaining facts about his mmo characters and their storylines, which became a discussion of tropes, and then anime, and then a promise to convince Jekyll to watch devildom anime with them. By the time he tired himself out and left, Demian’s head was spinning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Achievement: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Your first friend</span>
  </em>
  <span> unlocked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next few days passed in a blur of marathoning anime and playing games with Jekyll and Leviathan. Demian finally got some time to themselves when Levi had a livestream to attend and Jekyll was off doing who knows what with Asmodeus and Solomon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The words from the dream still lingered in their mind. They had the ring of something religious, but Demian couldn’t put their finger on what religion. Searching it had only brought up a similar passage from the bible, but even that wasn’t right. It must be a devildom thing. But there was nothing in their textbooks that was anything close to it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They frowned at the book open on their knees, and jumped when a voice sounded behind them. When they whipped around, Satan was hiding a laugh behind his hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t mean to scare you. What’s got you so frustrated?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian rubbed the back of their neck. “Just. Wondering if there are any religions down here. I heard a weird phrase the other day and I’m trying to find where it’s from.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I might be able to help. What phrase is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian hesitated, the words feeling too solemn to say frivolously.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “Ask, and it shall be given; suffer, and ye shall attain; knock, and ye shall be opened.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan’s brow furrowed. He looked just like Lucifer like that, but Demian kept their mouth shut. “I don’t know if I’ve ever heard that saying before, but I might have a book or two that can help. Come with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian stood up and followed Satan to his room. There were books everywhere, on the shelves, underfoot, on the furniture. They could barely see a bed past the mess.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan searched the shelves, piling books onto Damien. They craned their neck to see the titles. ‘A History of Paganism in the Devildom’, ‘Notable Myths, fifth edition’, the first two volumes of ‘The Locksmith’s Dream’. Demian set down the pile and picked up the latter. “Satan, what are these?” They were slim volumes, and the inside cover noted a scientific journal.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Old studies from the human world. Most of them were burned when the publisher went under. Actually, I think I have some from the same publisher here somewhere -” He trailed off as he was reabsorbed into his search.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Demian skimmed through the first volume. It was fascinating, but not what they were looking for. The second book, though -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The second volume was tattered, the front cover gouged by something sharp. They flipped through it, reading bits and pieces of the text. The author’s theories were more prominent in this one, and Demian froze as the pages fell open to a sketch of a woman labeled as ‘Saint Agnes’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without a doubt, that was the woman from their dream - four arms, her own head carried in her hands, the key, the knife, the candle. “Satan?” they asked, their voice wavering. “Who is Saint Agnes?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He popped his head out from behind a shelf, coming over with two more books soon after. He set them on the stack Demian had abandoned and circled behind them to look over their shoulder. “I’m not certain. Isn’t there a christian saint by that name?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But this picture, isn’t it strange?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Strange? It’s just a woman.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thought it was normal? Was this a demon thing?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How many arms does she have?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Demian, are you alright? She has two.” Satan briefly reached to touch their arm, pulling back just as quickly. He must’ve thought better of it, Demian assumed. They could relate to being cautious when it came to other people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Two. Just two. But try as they might, Demian still saw four. They traced the caption beneath the photo: St Agnes of the Threshold. A footnote led them to a quote at the bottom of the page: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Even the valves of the heart are a door, when the limbs are properly aligned.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I take these, Satan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but make sure they come back in one piece. They’re rare.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded numbly, eager to bring them back to their room. When they returned to their room, they spread the books on the floor, and got to work.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The books consumed every minute of their free time. Demian had pored over both volumes of The Locksmith’s Dream and Travelling at Night, but there was no mention of anything resembling their dream, and nothing more about St Agnes. But what was there was many mentions of the Wood - something Jekyll had said they’d dreamt of, and the White Door. Demian sought Jekyll out on a weekend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They lingered by the door to Jekyll’s room, hesitant, arms full of books. “Jekyll?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll looked up from their seat at the desk, laptop open. “Demian! What’s up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you, ah, remember those weird dreams we had? The wood and the woman?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ve… actually had that dream a few more times since then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh- you have?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded. Demian fumbled with their stack of books, pulling out the first volume of Travelling at Night. “Maybe this might help?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’d you get these?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Satan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s kind of funny how casual we are about the whole ‘Christian source of evil is my housemate’ thing now.” Jekyll laughed and turned the book over in their hands to read the back. Demian approached and set down the rest of their pile on the edge of Jekyll’s desk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go on, read it.” They tried not to hover as Jekyll leaned back in their chair and began to read, opting instead to give their dog attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll’s eyes grew wider as they read, and they flipped ahead a few pages. “This is just like -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What you dreamed, right? I thought it was strange. But look at this.” Demian flipped through the second Locksmith’s Dream to the image of St Agnes. “This is the woman from my dream. Satan said he only saw two arms when I pointed it out to him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two? But she has four.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, and Satan didn’t mention anything about the whole severed head thing.” Demian leaned back against the wall, frowning at the illustration.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll’s face twisted in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense. Is it magic or something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I dunno. I figured if we tried the stuff mentioned in these,” they motioned to Travelling at Night, “then we might find something out. Of course we may just end up fooling ourselves into dreaming something up. This was a dumb idea.” Demian shut the book and began to gather them back up, embarrassed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll grabbed a book and carefully tugged it from Demian’s grip, setting it back on their desk. “No, I think you’re onto somethin’. Magic is real, right? We’re living with demons. Besides, this is cool. I’ve never really managed to lucid dream.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Should we try it? This method seems the easiest, here - the cutting hair thing.” Demian pointed out the passage they meant. It described how a power of the wood could be invoked by cutting a lock of hair, and burning or burying it, depending on your intention. The other ways described were much more intensive - bleaching hair and painting skin white, sleeping in an entirely white room, or injuring the sole of the foot, preferably with a snake’s bite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. Not like we can paint an entire room white or something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian laughed weakly, still ashamed of their enthusiasm despite Jekyll matching it. “I don’t think Lucifer would like that much.” Jekyll laughed too, and agreed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They parted, deciding to try it that night and compare notes in the morning.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Want more of these self-insert ocs? Check out Jekyll's lobotomy corporation fic! https://archiveofourown.org/works/23216836/chapters/55582177</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll raised the scissors to their hair and hesitated. An inch would be enough, right? If it didn’t work, it didn’t work, and at least they’d tried. They took a deep breath and cut, the strands falling into their waiting palm. Ruger thumped his tail on the floor as he stared at them. They tucked the lock into the branches of the tree in their room. If they were aiming for the wood, it was as good a place as any. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They got in bed and tried to relax. While they were convinced it would take forever to fall asleep, it felt like no time had passed at all when Ruger’s soft huffs faded and darkness claimed them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Again, the road, the silver moon and the trees they could never reach. They hadn’t been able to enter the wood after that first night, when the dream-shape had cast its shadow over them. Tonight was different. Tonight, pale moths fluttered under the moon, brushing up against them, urging them onwards. Jekyll moved with them as if they were carried on the wind, wings tickling against their skin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moths disappeared amongst the shadows of the wood, the trees suddenly right in front of them. Jekyll chased after them, bounding between trees and nearly stumbling over thick roots. The branches caught on their hair, their clothes, and they felt an irrational urge to drop to all fours and run wild through the wood. They rolled their shoulders and squashed it. The book had warned them this would happen - if they wanted to reach the wood proper, they couldn’t give in to the dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moonlight filtered only barely through the branches, and then not at all. The moths had long fled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll stood alone among the trees, hair wild and fluffy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They would remember the way to this place when they woke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Demian cut their hair, as the book said. They lay back on their bed and closed their eyes, waiting for sleep. When it came, it dragged them under as if drowning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d seen this path before, when they sought the flower field again. They’d never managed to get back there. They watched and waited, but nothing came. Was it not enough? Should they have cut off more?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A chill swept through them as if someone had run their hand across their shoulders. They were suddenly certain that this was not their Way. A woman, her face emotionless, stood before them. She did not speak, but held out her hands to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian tried to move, but their legs were rooted to the ground. When they glanced down, there was nothing, but the woman was gone when they looked back at her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They woke brimming with frustration.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>shorter chapter this time. thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They couldn’t help feeling out of sorts the next day. The woman was the one they’d seen in the mirror after the first dream. Her face in the dream had been vague and flat, like a faded photograph. They’d woken later than they’d expected after their dream, feeling like they were swimming through molasses. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They picked up their phone, blinking through the painful glare of the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>you up? - dem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>yeah - jek</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>sorry, did i wake you? - dem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>nah lol - jek</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>come over here - dem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll sent them an ‘OK’ sticker. Demian clicked off their phone and rolled out of bed to get ready to greet them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few minutes later, there was a knock at their door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi, Demian, you decent?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian quickly looked themselves over despite knowing they were fully dressed, just to be sure. “Yes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll pushed the door the rest of the way open and entered, grinning. “It worked!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian squashed a surge of bitterness, remembering their own dream. “It did?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, there were all these moths and they led me into the woods. It was kind of freaky, but it was really pretty.” Jekyll swiped Demian’s desk chair, crossing their legs underneath them. Demian rolled their eyes and took their usual place on the stairs, leaning against the pillar in the centre of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Neat. I just saw a woman.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The same one from your other dream?” Jekyll tilted their head to the side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. This one was normal human shaped. She -” their tongue stilled, cold. “She said - my tongue won’t work.” They made a face, working their mouth to bring feeling back into their tongue. The sudden numbness was startling.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did she say…? I can’t remember.” Demian dragged their hands down their face, frustrated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can always try the dream again if something went wrong this time, right? I can make you a charm or something.” Jekyll offered, one leg slipping off the chair. They pulled it back up and resettled themselves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian managed a wan smile. “Thanks, Jekyll. I might take you up on that sometime.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They hesitated before they spoke again. “I feel like… there were other things in the dream. I couldn’t see them clearly, just shapes in the shadows. A horse, a broken tree, a snake with two heads - or maybe it was two snakes, wrapped together? They kept, kept shifting behind the woman, in the mist. Was there mist?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The more they spoke, the looser their tongue felt, until they were recalling things they knew they hadn’t experienced at the time, but that seemed obvious now. They reached out blindly, hands trembling, and grasped Jekyll’s upper arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know her, I knew Her -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oi,  you’re being really weird. Are you okay -?” Jekyll grabbed their wrists. Demian released their arms and took a step backwards, away from Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian pulled away, their blood thrumming in their veins. The chill of the dream still rested on them like a mantle. The heart is the crossroads of the blood, they knew, and with a strange certainty, turned their back to Jekyll and reached for the woman they’d seen in their sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Frost crept across the floor, forcing Jekyll to back away. “Demian, what the fuck is - </span>
  <em>
    <span>Demian, that is not a proper summoning ritual, what are you </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>doing!?</em>
  </b>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian ignored them, focusing on the woman who stepped through the opening they’d torn. The maid-in-the-mirror looked over them both and nodded to them. She reached into a pocket of her dress, and pulled out something, which she offered to both of them. Demian took it. It was a solid bronze coin, a strange symbol on one side. On the other, an anvil. It was covered in frost, but felt warm in their palm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll hesitated, but accepted the piece of paper the woman held out to them. Gifts delivered, the woman pressed her hands to Demian’s temples. The last they saw as they collapsed was Jekyll diving for them, and the woman disappearing into mist.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Demian crumpled in front of them, and Jekyll dove for them, managing to catch them before they hit the ground. They dropped the paper in their haste. Demian’s fingers stayed curled tightly around the coin. They lowered them to the floor, carefully laying their head down and checking their pulse with two fingers against their wrist. It was strong, but fast. Their breathing was even, but they didn’t respond to any tapping or calling their name.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll had shouted when Demian first fell, and now urgent footsteps approached from the hallway. The door burst open, Beelzebub bursting in first, followed close behind by Asmodeus and Mammon. Jekyll grabbed the paper from the floor and crumpled it in their fist, pulling Demian protectively into their lap. “Stay back!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub stared, concerned. Satan craned his neck around the brothers who had stopped in the doorway. Lucifer simply pushed his way through, approaching the humans on the floor, pausing and holding out his hands when Jekyll snarled at him. “Let me see them.” He spoke with authority, but Jekyll recoiled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Get away from them!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Jekyll, you must let me see. What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Back OFF!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some of the demons’ eyes widened at Jekyll’s outburst. Mammon, under the pact’s influence, was forced to step backwards against the wall, complaining; he sidestepped to the door and escaped into the hallway, away from the pressure. Jekyll glared daggers at Lucifer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is your fault, demons!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Jekyll, what HAPPENED?” Lucifer’s deep voice boomed as his expression turned stormy. Jekyll refused to back down. “TELL ME.” Asmodeus grimaced and Leviathan began to look uncertain, hovering near the doorway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Some weird demon spirit lady showed up and did this to them!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lucifer crouched in front of them, looking concerned, but no less frustrated. “Let me see them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“MOVE.” His aura flaired to life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With another loud “NO”, Jekyll physically curled around Demian, eyes darting between Lucifer and the other demons. “GET OUT.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asmodeus tried, his voice gentle, “Jekyll…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“OUT.” Jekyll pointed at the doorway, other hand still holding Demian to them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just get out already, they’re too pissed off to let it go.” Mammon called from the hallway. They began to file out, glancing back at Jekyll, watching them go warily. Beelzebub hesitated at the end of the line, looking between Jekyll and Lucifer. “Lucifer, maybe we should let them calm down?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Lucifer didn’t break his stare. When it was clear Jekyll wouldn’t back down, he sighed and stood, turning away. “Jekyll, I expect you to have come to your senses by the time I return. I don’t want to have to inform Lord Diavolo that one of the exchange students was harmed under my care.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll gathered Demian fully into their arms and stood. “Get bent, pretty boy.” They shoved past him as he sputtered, taking Demian to their own room. Lucifer stayed standing in the middle of Demian’s room, glowing with rage. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Safely in their own room, Jekyll stepped around their dog, and set Demian on the bed. They sat beside them, and pulled out the paper to read.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I remember the night we met. Deep in a dream, we slunk into the forest together, you dancing the entire way, drums sounding each time your foot connected with the ground, dancing and spinning and eyes everywhere. Everywhere except for on me. The moon shimmered a bright, blood red, the color seeming to leak into the sky and drip down, down onto the Earth itself, staining the ground and leaves and water. You danced and danced and danced. And I followed, followed, followed you into a clearing. You had slipped away somehow, the drums sounding fainter. In the center of the clearing was a large pool of water, and the moths above it fluttered and danced, danced just like you had. Their little white wings beat in unison, the sound filling my head, replacing the drum beats you had created. You were gone. The moths remained. The moon's blood dripped down from the sky and painted the water red, painting me red as it started to coat my body. Something was watching me from the shadows, and no matter how hard I tried to find it, I never could. I hoped it was you, finally looking to me. Finally seeing me after your dance. My head felt light and my vision turned red, red, red. I cannot wait to find you in the waking world. Perhaps we will dance together, dance in the same hypnotic shapes as the moths from my dream." </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian found themselves back on the hill, as they had before. The woman wasn’t there, this time, but they remembered the chill of her touch. They felt the impression of the coin in their hand, but it was empty when they checked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Movement in the ditch by the path caught their eye, and they approached carefully. A deep purple snake looked up at them, tongue flicking. It ignored them, continuing on its way. Demian stepped delicately into the ditch, following it as it entered the wood they’d never managed to reach by themselves. The snake wound between roots and over them, and Demian followed, crouching and moving on all fours where they would not fit upright. Hanging mosses - or was it hair? - brushed their face. Their dream-self had no glasses, they realized, reaching up to push the moss away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They came to a clearing, the snake’s trail long lost. They searched the treeline for their path. The cold they’d felt grew deeper, to their very bones. Frost crept along the ground, footprints appearing in it. As they watched, the mist that rose from the dirt began to solidify into wraiths, their mouths grown over with thin skin. Demian remembered the face of the woman, and followed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The path took them around a huge stone, as tall as a church’s tallest steeple. They circled it with the dead, and behind it was a door. The dead passed ahead of them. Demian approached it themselves, the cold sinking into them. A sudden dread took hold of them, and they froze in place. If they continued, then -</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They woke with a start, the dream-roads they’d walked writing themselves into their mind. They opened their eyes and looked to their left, surprised to find Jekyll waiting there, and Ruger, muzzled, with his chin on the bed. Jekyll hugged them as soon as they realized Demian was awake.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re awake! I was so worried, you idiot!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mrrgh.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll pulled back and forced Demian to look them in the eye. “How did you even summon something like that!? What did you do? That thing could have killed you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian chuckled, exhausted. “I didn’t intend to.” they said dryly. Realizing, they checked both hands quickly. They were empty. Jekyll retrieved something from the bedside table and pressed it into their hand - the coin. “Thanks. This is important.” They turned it over in their hand, running their thumb across the raised image. “Do you have your poem?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you know it’s a poem?” Jekyll reached for the balled up paper on their table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She told me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who told you? Demian, you gotta be careful with this sort of thing -”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Jekyll, we have pacts with one of the literal lords of hell.” Demian sat up, waving off Jekyll’s attempt to help them, and gestured for the paper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, yes…” They handed Demian the crumbled poem, and they began to read it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you done anything about it yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll looked confused. “Do something about it? Like what?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian shrugged. “Not sure. She gave it to </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Not sure if this is symbolism or a straight description. Got any ideas?”</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<span>Jekyll shook their head. “Not yet. I gotta apologize to the guys first. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lucifer</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” they scowled, “is gonna want to see you.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>missed last week's chapter bc my confidence took a nosedive. poem in this chapter is written by Jekyll. Check out <a href="https://squidkisser.tumblr.com/post/611788274375213056/doodle-for-a-scene-from-my-friends-cultsim-obey">some art they did for this chapter</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Jekyll opened their door, they were surprised to see Beelzebub sitting outside with a pile of food. He looked up at them as they shut the door behind them, sitting up straighter.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Demian okay? I brought snacks, but you seemed like you didn’t want anyone to go in, so I waited.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll smiled, tired. “Thanks. They’re awake now.” They paused. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>should</span>
  </em>
  <span> go tell Lucifer they’re awake, but he’s an ass. You can come in to check on them, though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub looked a little hurt at Jekyll’s casual insult of Lucifer, but got to his feet and gathered his food. When he reached for the doorknob, Jekyll stopped him with a brief touch to his arm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen. Sorry about earlier, I was scared and - you didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub shook his head, looking down at them. “I’d have done the same thing for any of my brothers.” He seemed sad, for a moment, lost in his thoughts. He came back to himself, and asked “Is Demian okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, they seem fine. You can go see them, I gotta go apologize to the others.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub nodded, adjusting his grip on the snacks so he could open the door. He entered, and Jekyll continued down the hallway.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll headed to Mammon’s room first, feeling a little guilty over accidentally forcing him to physically leave the room. The door was shut when they arrived. The only answer to their knock was a muffled grumbling.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>So he’s at least inside, then.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mammon, can I talk to you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The grumbling returned, louder. “No.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mammon, open the door.” There was a thud from inside the room, then quick footsteps and the door opened a crack. A visibly disheveled Mammon glared at Jekyll from inside.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, sorry. Did I pact command you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You did.” Mammon moved to shut the door in their face and return to sulking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait! I’m sorry.” Jekyll tried to hold the door open. Mammon stopped, watching them like a hawk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re apologizin’?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. I didn't mean to command ya to do anything. I wasn't thinking and I just wanted everyone out. I... I was scared. I didn't think it'd force you to</span>
  <span> obey. So yeah, I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, well. It did. It’ll take more than that for the Great Mammon to forgive ya. Better get on your knees and start beggin’.” His bristling began to stop, his hair which Jekyll had thought was just fluffed up from laying on his bed beginning to flatten.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll sighed and humored him. They bowed slightly. “I humbly apologize, O Great Mammon, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Mammon beamed. “That’s more like it! The Great Mammon will deign to forgive you, this time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll straightened and let their arms fall back to their sides. “Great! I gotta go apologize to Asmo too.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh- you’re leavin’?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll waved back at him, calling over their shoulder. “Yeah sorry, I got more to do, I promise I'll hang out later though! Text me when you're free!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They knocked sharply on Asmodeus’ door, </span>
  <span>buoyed </span>
  <span>by their successes with Mammon and Beelzebub. He opened it right away, unlike his older brother. He wore a pink silky robe tied around his waist, clearly having been getting ready for bed. “Jekyll! I wasn’t expecting you to be so forward, after the incident with Demian.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll verbally backpedaled. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I came to apologize for yelling at you earlier. You were just trying to help.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Asmodeus sighed and leaned against the doorframe, the top of his robe hanging open, drawing Jekyll’s eyes down to his bare chest until they forced their gaze back to his face. Asmodeus was smiling knowingly. “How disappointing. But thank you for the apology. Are you sure I can’t tempt you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jekyll’s face flushed red. “I’m sure. I gotta go check on Demian. Maybe another time, though?” They turned on their heel and marched away, before they were caught checking him out again. Asmodeus exhaled, disappointed, and watched them go.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub opened the door with ease. He’d had a lot of practice managing doors with his arms full. The tree blocked out some of the gentle lights, leaving shadows across Demian where they sat up in Jekyll’s bed. They noticed him, and looked surprised.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Er, hey. What’s up, Beelzebub? Ah, that sorta rhymed. Sorry.” They rubbed the back of their neck, sheepish.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t need to apologize. Jekyll said I could check on you.” He set down his pile and sorted through it for the human-safe snacks he’d brought. Demian watched him quietly. He ended up organizing most of it awkwardly, since he didn’t know Demian very well, and wasn’t sure what to say. He handed them a snack. “I was worried, you missed lunch and dinner.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian accepted it and hesitated, looking at him. He nodded encouragingly. They gingerly unwrapped it and began to eat slowly. Beelzebub watched them as they finished it and handed them a second before he started on his own pile. He averted his eyes respectfully, remembering what Jekyll had mentioned about the humans being uncomfortable eating when watched. He leaned back against the bed and got comfortable, making up his mind to keep the human company until Jekyll returned from their rounds. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...you don’t have to stay, you know.” Demian began.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub tipped his head back to look at them. “Do you want me to leave?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian fidgeted. This human was squirmy, noted Beelzebub. Were they still afraid of him? He’d thought he’d managed to convince both Demian and Jekyll that he had no interest in eating them. “If you want to, you can go. I’ll be fine.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub narrowed his eyes. It was hard to tell whether Demian was uncomfortable because of him, or because they’re eating. “I want to stay,” he tried, hoping it was the right answer. He had no experience taking care of a sick human. “If you want me to.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Demian stammered. “You can stay, if you want, I just - You don’t have to force yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not. I’m going to stay right here.” And Beelzebub settled back into snacking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“O-okay.” Demian took another bite of their own snack, trying to hide how hungry they actually were. Beelzebub could sense it, there was no reason to hide, but he’d learned by now that the humans did weird things for no reason. Eventually Demian began to relax into the companionable silence, and stopped refusing the food Beelzebub passed them, especially when they noticed how large his own pile was compared to theirs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When it was gone, Beelzebub stayed a little longer, until Lucifer arrived at the door with Jekyll at his heels, glaring at the back of his head. Beelzebub stood to leave, and a smaller hand caught his sleeve. He glanced back at Demian, who had turned their face away, hidden behind their hair. “Thank you.” they mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beelzebub smiled and patted their head, making them grumble under their breath and swipe at his hand. He left with a look to Lucifer, a warning not to aggravate Demian after he’d finally gotten them to relax. If they were scared of demons, it would only take a little to undo his progress.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Demian watched Beelzebub leave, still flustered. They snapped to attention as Jekyll and Lucifer arrived. Lucifer looked his usual stoic self. Jekyll planted themselves on the edge of the bed, a physical barrier between Demian and the demon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian folded their hands in their lap and waited for Lucifer to speak. He addressed them after a condescending glance at Jekyll’s posturing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will either of you tell me what is going on?” Demian fought a flinch at his disapproving look. Jekyll only looked angrier. Demian swung their legs onto the floor and hastened to defuse the situation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had a weird dream.” They started.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll whipped to face them. “It was more than that! You summoned something!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer stepped closer, looming over them both. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>summoned</span>
  </em>
  <span> something? How?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Any excuses died in Demian’s throat at the sight of Lucifer’s serious expression.</span> <span>They swallowed and searched for the right way to word it, hopefully without anyone jumping down their throat. “We tried a ritual thing mentioned in one of Satan’s books. I think it worked for Jekyll, but my dream wasn’t like the book described it’d be. I saw a pale woman, with white hair. When I woke up, I had this urge to do </span><em><span>something</span></em><span>. And I guess that something summoned her.”</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer crouched in front of them, looking Demian in the face. Their eyes widened, surprised. “You summoned something using a ritual from one of Satan’s books, is that correct?” He kept steady eye contact with Demian. Anxiety began to well in them. Jekyll hover-handed over their arm for a moment, before making up their mind and touching Demian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yeah. The ritual was supposed to be just for a dream thing.” Demian backpedaled, worried about getting Satan and Jekyll in trouble as well as themselves. “We didn’t mean to summon something, and I’m just fine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Demian. Look me in the eye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His tone brooked no disobedience. Demian obeyed. Lucifer met their gaze with natural authority. “Something used you to summon a being into this plane. This is serious. You could have been grievously injured, or killed. While you are here, you are under my protection.” He turned to Jekyll. “Your dream went as expected, then? What happened?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll answered, though they looked reluctant and had yet to let go of Demian’s arm. Demian assumed that was more for their benefit than Jekyll’s. “I dreamed of a swarm of moths leading me into the woods. I’d seen the woods in my dreams before then, but I never managed to reach it. The ritual was supposed to -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian spoke up when Jekyll trailed off. “It was supposed to help us reach the wood, in the dream. I’ve had the same ones, among others. Something must have gone wrong with mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was the ritual?” Lucifer asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s described in those books, on the desk - yeah, those.” Demian nodded as Lucifer stood and crossed to the desk, picking up a volume of Travelling at Night. “We were to cut a lock of hair before we sleep, for a ‘power of the wood’.” Demian attempted to stand, but Jekyll pressed their hands to Demian’s shoulders and forced them to sit. “Jekyll -” they started, exasperated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me. I’ll do it.” Jekyll said, their tone insistent. Demian knew better than to argue with their friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just give him the books I borrowed from Satan?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Will do.” Jekyll crossed the room much faster than Demian could have on still-wobbly legs and gathered the books, pushing them into Lucifer’s chest. His eyes narrowed in annoyance. Demian exhaled slowly, stressed by the tension bleeding into the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer adjusted his grip on the books. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Thank</span>
  </em>
  <span> you, Jekyll. I’ll ensure these are returned to Satan after I’ve had a chance to examine them. Demian, is there anything else?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian worried their fingers, weighing telling Lucifer about the other dream, the dream of St Agnes. He’d noticed their fidgeting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Speak.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian jolted, and suppressed a grimace. “Before the whole ritual thing… I dreamed of a different woman. Her picture is in one of those books, but I only saw them after I’d already dreamt of her. Satan had noticed me worrying about the dream, and offered to go through his library for me. That’s when we found the books.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm. Was there anything else?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, just that her name is Saint Agnes. And a verse, but it doesn’t seem like any scripture I’ve heard of. It’s similar to a christian verse, but it’s not the same at all.” Demian begged inwardly not to be asked to repeat it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What was it?” “Demian, you never told me about that!” Lucifer and Jekyll spoke simultaneously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian frowned and recited the verse. “Ask, and it shall be given; suffer, and ye shall attain; knock, and ye shall be opened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer frowned as well, thinking on it. “It’s nothing I’ve heard of. I will look into it after I have had a chance to report this to Lord Diavolo. For now, rest. And stay out of trouble.” He directed the latter remark at Jekyll, who stuck out their tongue at him. Lucifer left with the books, leaving Jekyll and Demian in silence. It was Jekyll who broke it at last.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re staying here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jek-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you make it up those stairs tonight?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian scowled, but didn’t argue. They both knew Demian was still too shaky on their feet to get to their loft safely. “But what about you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about me? I’ll stay here too. We can have a sleepover. We never got to do that in the human world, we lived too far apart.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha, I guess so. Might as well make the most of it. At least take the bed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re afraid of dogs.” Jekyll said, dry.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...point.” Demian pulled a face before suggesting they share.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them stayed up a little longer, chatting and cooing at Ruger, before falling into dreamless sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Try as they might, Jekyll couldn’t decide how to make it up to Leviathan and Satan. They’d thought of getting them a gift each, but they didn’t know what to get and where to get it. Demian had suggested asking one of the other demons for help. That’s where Jekyll found themselves the next morning. Demian would stay behind to rest, at Jekyll’s insistence, while Jekyll roped one of the demons into shopping with them. After some deliberation, they settled on Asmo, assuming he’d be willing to go with them and would know his brothers well enough to help pick out apology gifts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They just had to ask him. Which was why they were hovering outside his door, their mental script ready. They knocked sharply. Asmo called out from inside. “Just a minute~”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll waited.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus opened the door, dressed fashionably as always. Jekyll offered a smile. “Hi. Ah, could you help me with something?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh? I’m always ready to help. What is it that you need?” He licked his lips suggestively, his hand on his hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know how to apologize to Levi and Satan for blowing up at them. Wanna come with me to find apology gifts for them? You know them better than I do, after all.” They gestured as they spoke, feeling a little awkward. Asmo lit up at their mention of shopping, even after learning it was for his brothers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course! No one better than Asmo to take you on the shopping trip of your life.” He laughed, pulling his door open further and heading back into the room. Jekyll leaned in, watching him flit around the room, collecting a scarf and checking his makeup in the mirror. He rejoined them at the door with a wink, wrapping the scarf around his shoulders. Jekyll surreptitiously checked their wallet. Asmodeus waved it off when he saw it. “I’ll pay for my own things, sweetheart. You just focus on having fun. I’ll make it the best date you’ve ever had!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And make you forget about my brothers</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he added under his breath. He ushered Jekyll out of the house and into a cab before anyone noticed and got the bright idea to follow them, chatting happily about where they could go look for gifts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrived quickly at a large building that Jekyll immediately recognized as the devildom equivalent to a mall. Asmodeus exited the cab first, turning and offering them his hand to help them out. Jekyll laughed and took it. Asmo pulled them easily to their feet, and brushed his thumb across the back of their hand before releasing it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Levi is easy. Something from one of his obsessions will have all forgiven in no time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gestured to the store in front of them, the windows full of colourful merchandise. Jekyll recognized some of the characters from shows they’d watched with Levi and Demian. They entered, stifling a giggle at Asmodeus’ grimace. He muttered to himself. “I never thought I’d set foot in an otaku store…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Inside was just as colourful, figurines and plushies lining shelves and bins, and a long display of manga and comics filled the centre of the room. The price tags made Jekyll wince. They didn’t want to fork over that much cash for an apology gift. Asmodeus caught their look. He guided them over to a smaller display near the cashier, his arm warm around Jekyll’s waist. “These are pretty cute, aren’t they?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll examined the display. Small keychain charms of anime characters in cutesy poses hung from pegs in the wall. They traced over them, looking for any characters they recognized. A girl with blue hair caught their eye, and they checked the label. In tiny letters above the price, it read: “Ruri”. Perfect, that was who Levi was always going on about. Jekyll plucked it from the peg to show Asmo.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think he’ll like this one?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus looked it over. “Probably. She’s cute.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded and went to pay for the charm. Asmo waited outside, and whisked them off to their next stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their next stop was a bookstore, apparently. Jekyll scooted out of the cab before Asmo could flirt with them again, and headed inside, where they stopped, realizing they had no idea what kind of book Satan liked. Asmo laughed quietly and put his hand on their back again, looking down at them. “This way. Hopefully he hasn’t picked up the next volume yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He led them to the mysteries section, brushing past an imp who tried to ask if he needed anything with a polite “No thanks.” He scanned the shelf. Jekyll looked over the titles. There were a few they recognized from the human world, but just as many that were completely unfamiliar. Asmo pulled them from their thoughts with a soft “Aha!” as he pulled a book from the shelf.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This should be suitable, I think. Keep the receipt in case he’s beaten us to it.” He handed it to Jekyll, slipping away to find something for himself. Jekyll stood in the mysteries section, book in their hands, before deciding to take a look around themselves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The shelves were crowded together, the occasional demon appearing from between them as Jekyll wandered. The imp from earlier glanced at them, but ignored them now that Asmo was elsewhere. Rude.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bell above the door chimed. Jekyll looked towards it, spotting a small mark in the paint around the otherwise pristine door. Wait. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The mark moved, lifting into the air and fluttering past them. A small, pale moth. Jekyll followed it into the maze of shelves, farther from the main lights and deeper into the dark. It landed on the corner of an old book. It looked handbound, and the title was pressed into the spine. Jekyll traced the letters, unable to read them in the dark. Kitling Ripe and the Moldywarp’s Grave. The moth crawled onto their hand, perching on their finger. Jekyll raised it to eye level.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moth tapped their finger with its little feet and looked at them. Jekyll looked back. They kept looking at it as they bent down to pick up the book. Suddenly -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you are! I thought someone else had swept you away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus walked up behind them, a shopping bag slung over his shoulder. The moth flew off and disappeared. “What are you up to, Jekyll?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just looking around.” They said, adjusting their hold on the books. Asmo’s eyes flicked to the old book, eyebrows raising slightly. “Well! That’s an old one. Classic fairy tales for young demons. I didn’t realize you were that interested in our culture! I’d be happy to give you some private lessons.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll smiled, and stopped their search for the moth. “I’d like that, actually! Thanks Asmo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anytime.” he purred, taking their arm. They paid for Jekyll’s books, but surprisingly, he didn’t lead them back home. Instead, they turned deeper into the mall. Asmo led them to a small cafe, tucked away in a corner. They were seated in a small, intimate booth with dim lighting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have to try this, Jekyll. I think the closest human equivalent is bubble tea?” He flipped over the small card on the table so Jekyll could see it. On it were listed various flavours, some bizarre - hellfire? Newt’s blood? Jekyll picked out something that seemed safe. Can’t go wrong with coconut, right?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus ordered for both of them, and leaned closer. He took Jekyll’s hand and pulled it to him, rubbing his thumb over their fingers. He leaned his chin on his other hand and watched Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are you adjusting to living in the devildom? I know my brothers can be a handful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll was surprised, not expecting him to ask that. “Pretty well, I think? Everyone’s been super nice, and the food is fun, though it’s super weird.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmo laughed and squeezed their hand briefly. “I’m glad! It’s nice to have someone pretty around. My brothers are handsome and all, but they’re my </span>
  <em>
    <span>brothers</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah - thanks?” Jekyll preened. “You’re very pretty yourself, y’know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmo beamed. “I know! I’m gorgeous. Ah, the tea is here -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He handed the normal-looking one to Jekyll. It looked like human world bubble tea, if human world bubble tea had bubbles that yawned little mouths and nibbled at the straw. Asmo’s drink was bright white and frothy, emitting a slight hissing sound. He drank deeply from it and smiled. “I love this place. It’s so nice for dates.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nearly choked on their tea. “Er, dates?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course. I know we were supposed to get things for my brothers, but that’s all done now! I have you </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> to myself.” He motioned to their tea, prompting them to drink. Jekyll did. The pearls still moved when you swallowed them, apparently. Weird. “That is okay with you, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That this is a date.” Asmo looked serious for a moment, watching their face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll blushed. “Yeah, that’s f-fine.” Asmo broke into a smile, taking their hand again and bringing it to his mouth. He brushed his lips over Jekyll’s knuckles, smiling at them over their hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good. Let me treat you, this time.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them talked while they finished their drinks. Asmo was attentive and listened well when Jekyll spoke. He didn’t let go of their hand until they stood to leave. He paid the hostess and walked Jekyll to a cab, holding the door for them with a flourish. He crossed to the other side and got in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was quiet on the way home, the kind of quiet between people who are comfortable and don’t need to fill the silence. When they pulled into the driveway of the house of lamentation, he finally spoke. “Would you like to do this again sometime?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll paused, already halfway out of the car. “Yeah. That’d be nice.” They admitted, quietly. Asmo caught it and smiled again, getting out himself. He slipped his arms around Jekyll in a hug, running one hand down their back. He let it dip dangerously low, but stopped before he actually groped them. “I’m glad. Think of me, okay?” He winked and disappeared into the house. Jekyll stood in the driveway, dumbstruck, for a good few minutes. Then they rushed into the house, cheeks bright red, to deliver their gifts.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll flopped back onto their bed, staring up at the tree. Leviathan and Satan had accepted the gifts easily (the latter with far more grace than the former), and had both assured Jekyll that they were forgiven, despite Levi’s muttering of how unfair it was that Demian got to have someone so protective of them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Try as they might, they couldn’t keep their eyes open long enough to get very far in Kitling Ripe. But sleep evaded them too when they gave up and set the book aside. They’d resorted to staring up at their tree, and counting leaves in hopes of sleep. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As they finally began to drift off, they heard a voice. It was very faint, but as Jekyll focused, they heard it clearly. “Help me. Someone help me.” Concerned, they got up, and began to follow the voice. It was hard to make out just who it was. Sometimes it sounded more male, and sometimes it was clearly the voice of a woman. Jekyll paused at corners, listening. The voice always came back, beckoning them towards it. Eventually, they reached the staircase Lucifer had intercepted them on during their exploration with Demian, on the day they’d arrived.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer was there again tonight. It was obvious he’d seen them already. He was facing them, imposing in the dim light. Well, imposing if they weren’t Jekyll, irreverent of any sort of authority.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop right there. You’ll go no farther...that’s not a place for humans. It’s dangerous. Go back to your room.” Lucifer spoke as if he expected to be obeyed, like defiance wasn’t even an option. Jekyll chafed under it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer glared at them, then burst into laughter. “Pf...hahaha! Interesting. I think I’m starting to understand why you were chosen to come here. But you can’t say no.” He stepped closer, using his height to his advantage to loom over Jekyll. “Because I’m not giving you a choice.” He took another step, pinning Jekyll between him and the doorway if they didn’t back off themselves. Jekyll stood their ground. They refused to be intimidated like that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer’s voice was low and dangerous when he spoke again. “...Now then, back to your room. If you value your life, you’ll do as I say.” He raised Jekyll’s chin with one hand. Jekyll smacked his hand away, glaring up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that a threat?” They said, challenging Lucifer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Yes. </b>
  <span>It is.” He put his hands on Jekyll’s shoulders, physically manhandling them out of the alcove. Jekyll squirmed and escaped his hold, angry. Lucifer filled the entire doorway when he crossed his arms across his chest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll could still hear the voices calling for them from up the stairs. They’d have to deal with Lucifer first, though, and there was no way they could beat him in a straight fight. They’d be willing to try, of course. But for now, they decided it was better to cut their losses and head back to their room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lucifer watched them go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning found them up earlier than expected. Jekyll had wanted to speak to Demian about the stairs and the voices, and had been forced to come to breakfast with them so they could take their meds on time. They were there late enough that only Mammon was at the table with them, which was something of a surprise. Jekyll had expected him to have already left to avoid the two of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was grumbling over his breakfast, eyes flicking between the humans he was bound to. “Why do I gotta be stuck here with you first thing in the morning, having to look at your face while I’m tryin’ to eat my breakfast.” He shoveled another forkful into his mouth, talking around it. “To us demons, eating a human like you is a special sorta treat, understand? Yet I’m not allowed to do that. I’ve gotta sit here and eat my breakfast instead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll and Demian ignored him as he rambled on about roast hog vs blackberry newt legs. God, devildom food was weird. Jekyll addressed Demian. “Hear that? We’re tasty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian muffled a short laugh. “Guess so. ‘M not surprised they eat humans. Wonder what we taste like.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon squawked at them. “What’s even worse is that thick, juicy hunk of meat has started giving me orders now, and IGNORING me!” He gestured wildly, tipping his chair back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian eyed it. Were they expecting him to fall over?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon righted his chair with a thunk. “It’s REALLY not fun. I mean, what sick kind of torture is this, anyway!?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian took another bite. Jekyll copied them, despite not usually eating breakfast. They’d taken a tiny serving to avoid the awkward situation of being the only one not eating. Besides, that would have been uncomfortable for Demian too. Their dark eyes met Jekyll’s across the table. Mammon groaned from his spot. “Pay attention when I’m talkin’ to ya, idiots! Or do those ears of yours not work!?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They work.” Demian said, mildly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then why aren’t ya answering me? Ugh, forget it. I’m sure the others have already scurried off to class and left me to look after ya on my own, the punks. Dammit.” Mammon shoved a hand through his hair and slouched over his plate. “They’re all rotten, every last one of ‘em. This all comes back to Lucifer, gettin’ stuck having to look after not one, but TWO humans, ending up in pacts, everything bad is his fault!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He rumbled in his chest unhappily. Demian raised an eyebrow at the sound. It was close to the growl of a large dog. Jekyll leaned back in their seat, abandoning their breakfast. “Hey, Mammon. What’s at the top of the stairs?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“HEY, I TOLD you to LISTEN to me when I’m TALKIN’ to you! I was tryin’ to tell you about - Wait, what stairs? Are you talkin’ about the stairs that lead up into the attic?” Mammon’s growl stopped abruptly at the change of subject, surprise written across his face. “Oh man, there you go again, stickin’ your nose where it doesn’t belong…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, he smiled. “Now listen, human, do you know the secret to getting people to tell you stuff? Go ahead, tell me.” He folded his fingers, elbows on the table, and rested his chin on them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Persistence and determination.” Jekyll answered smugly. Demian shrugged, noncommittal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon scowled. “You’ve got the persistent part down. Though that won’t help you any if that’s all you’ve got goin’ for ya. When you need somebody to give you information, nothing beats money! Sweet, sweet money!” He beamed just thinking about it. “That’s what the world revolves around...money!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>How many times could he say ‘money’ before he got tired of it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon interrupted Jekyll’s musing. “Waaaait a second...I know what this is about. You tried to climb those stairs, but Lucifer stopped you, right? That’s totally it, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yep.” said Jekyll, deadpan.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh - that was easy. I was expecting more secrecy. But there’s something you really need to get straight now. If you think you can just offer Mammon here a little bit of money and he’ll spill the beans, you’re dead wrong. I mean, pretend I told you somethin’ I shouldn’t. Lucifer would beat me half to death.” He made a face and shuddered.”Actually, I’d be lucky if that’s all he did. If I WEREN’T lucky, he’d have me eliminated. It’d take a good two hundred million years to recover from that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian hissed through their teeth. “That’s a long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I KNOW. So if you want that info outta me, you’ll have to offer me the monetary equivalent. Two hundred million years’ worth. That might do it. In other words,” he stood from his seat and glowered at the humans. “</span>
  <b>I ain’t gonna tell ya. </b>
  <span>Is that clear enough for ya, blockhead?” He punctuated his words with a jab of his finger at Jekyll. They adopted a smug posture and looked Mammon in the eye.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh. Afraid of Lucifer, are ya?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon got even louder, if that was possible. “WHAT!? Whoa, what’d you just say? You think I’M actually afraid of Lucifer!? Me, the Avatar of Greed?” He shoved his chair in and rounded the table, pulling Jekyll to their feet. “You’ve gotta be kidding! I’m not the least bit afraid of him, got it? Not even a little!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian watched them both carefully, slowly lowering their fork with a soft clink. Mammon was rumbling again, quietly. Jekyll grinned at him, exhilarated, and grabbed his wrists hard. “Be honest, though. You’re scared, aren’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon screeched. “I told you, I’m not! I mean, that’s crazy! Listen now, most of the time, I don’t let people see the full extent of my power! What I’m sayin’ is that even if I did face off against someone like Lucifer, I wouldn’t even have to use all of my strength to win! Understand!?” Demian’s eyebrows climbed higher and higher. They stood slowly, eyes on Jekyll and Mammon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then,” Jekyll started, poking Mammon in the chest. He let go of them to rub at it. “Tell me what’s up those stairs.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All right, fine! I will! You can’t get up the stairs because Lucifer’s blocking the way, right!? You need to do somethin’ to get rid of him, right!?” Mammon puffed himself up. “Well, guess what? Distracting Lucifer is easy as pie! Listen up, ‘cause I’m only gonna say this once -”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hurry it up, please, Mammon.” Jekyll cut in before he could get going again. Mammon deflated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine. You know that series Levi likes? What was it called, um, the tale of the seven...seven…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tale of the Seven Lords.” said Demian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s the one. You need to get your hands on a vinyl edition copy of the soundtrack for it. If you have that, you can use it to distract Lucifer no problem!” He shrugged. “Don’t ask why, ‘cause I’ve got no idea why Lucifer’s interested in somethin’ like that either. But if you want up those stairs, you’re gonna have to start by gettin’ your hands on that soundtrack.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Leviathan won’t be too easy to convince,” Demian mused, half to themselves. “Even with the whole hangout things we’ve been doing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The anime binge-watching was usually Levi-led, and on his terms, though Jekyll and Demian were free to opt out any time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Won’t know unless we try.” Jekyll finger-gunned at Demian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that was how they found themselves here after class, outside Leviathan’s door, Mammon grumbling behind them. Jekyll knocked, calling out to him. “Oi, Levi! Can we come in?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was the sound of fumbling from inside, and Leviathan cracked the door and stared out at them. “What do you want? It’s not anime day. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>busy.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nudged Jekyll out of the way so they could see Leviathan. “Can we borrow your copy of the TSL soundtrack?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you want it? You’ve never seen the show.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You really like it, yeah?” Demian tried, crossing their arms over their chest to hide their nerves. While Leviathan wasn’t that intimidating, they were horrible with any sort of confrontation. “We’re looking for something new to watch. Figured I’d start with the soundtrack while I work.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan opened the door a little wider. “That’s stupid. How would you even recognize the themes without seeing the show!?” He disappeared into the darkness of his room, leaving Jekyll and Demian to exchange a look. He returned quickly and shoved a boxed set of dvds into Demian’s arms. “Watch this first, idiot. And guard it with your life!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll saluted while Demian adjusted their grip, holding the set carefully. “Will do, sir! It’ll be the safest thing in the world.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Make sure it is.” He grumbled. “And don’t let Mammon get his hands on it!” Leviathan said, purposefully loud enough for his brother to hear. Mammon protested. “Hey!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “If he sells it, I’ll kill you.” Leviathan pointed at both of the humans in turn, and glared at Mammon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon mumbled. “Not gonna sell it…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian mustered as much cheerfulness as they had in them to smile at Leviathan. “Thank you!” They took off at a fast walk down the hallway, prize in their hands. When Jekyll caught up, they offered them a weaker smile. “How’d I do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Great!” Jekyll laughed. “I thought you were gonna let </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> handle it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha, sorry. Couldn’t keep my mouth shut.” Demian dipped their head, embarrassed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry ‘bout it. We’ve got the show. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mammon</span>
  </em>
  <span> is gonna watch with us, right?” They called the last part over their shoulder, at the demon still trailing behind them. He perked up at his name, but slumped again when he registered the rest of the phrase. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why do </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> gotta watch with you?” He sped up to catch up to Demian and Jekyll, taller than both.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because it was your idea in the first place.” said Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon huffed. “You’re the one who wanted into the attic.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian shushed him. “Not so loud! If he hears, we’ll be in trouble.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If who hears?” said Mammon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lucifer.” Demian looked exasperated. Mammon mocked them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, look, the little human is afraid of Lucifer! What, think he’d upset Diavolo by hurting an exchange student?” He scoffed. “Like he’d ever do that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll didn’t bother looking at him when they spoke. “Mammon, behind you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon whirled on his heel, eyes widening, and growled when he saw the empty hallway. “Ha, ha. Very funny.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come watch, it’ll be fun!” Jekyll laughed at him, his hair fluffing up like a bird’s feathers in his annoyance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian fell back a step, and dug in their pocket. Pulling out a coin, they checked both sides to make sure it was grimm, and not their bronze spintria. They tossed it to Mammon. “Watch with us?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>He caught it easily and admired it in his palm. “Well, since ya asked so nicely. I will.” He stuck his tongue out at Jekyll. “At least </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> knows how to treat a demon. There’s a tv in my room.” The three of them headed to Mammon’s room.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>updates may slow down while my beta and i are burnt out from work. up to ch 21 is written, but unedited.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll escorted Demian and Mammon to Mammon’s room before scurrying off to go make snacks for their marathon. Demian and Mammon looked at each other. Demian cleared their throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, um.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon looked equally awkward. “Here.” He took the dvds from Demian and crossed to the tv, fussing with something in a cabinet. The tv turned on, and he tossed a remote over the table. It landed on the couch with a soft sound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Soon, the title screen came on. Demian had been standing there, unsure what to do with themselves with Jekyll gone. Mammon walked back over and sat heavily on the couch. Demian followed his lead and sat more delicately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was quiet for a long moment, the only sound their breathing and Mammon drumming his fingers on the arm of the couch. Demian cursed themselves for not being able to come up with anything to break the ice. Ever since they made a pact with Mammon, they hadn’t been certain how to act around him. Their usual polite distance felt strange with how often they’d been around Mammon lately, but they couldn’t bring themselves to be as carefree and casual as they were with Jekyll. So they sat in silence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, it became too awkward even for Demian, and they coaxed Mammon into telling them about his latest schemes. Playing to his ego would probably get him talking and Demian wouldn’t have to do much more than make interested noises and ask the occasional question. It worked like a charm, and Mammon gradually grew more animated, until he was waving his arms and nearly standing from his seat. Demian mentally gave themselves a pat on the back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Jekyll returned, Mammon was mid-story, and didn’t realize they were back for a moment. When he did, he shot to his feet. “Where were ya!? Don’t ya know how rude it is to leave me waitin’?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll looked appropriately apologetic. “Sorry, I got caught up making these.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘These’ were trays of cookies and other snacks - popcorn, packages of devildom snacks, anything suitable for a marathon. Behind Jekyll was Beelzebub, carrying more trays. Ruger followed at their heels.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why is Beel here?” Mammon asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He noticed me making food and followed me here.” Jekyll shrugged, setting down the food. Beelzebub followed suit before sitting beside Demian. Jekyll claimed the spot in the middle of the couch, Ruger laying at their feet. He was large enough to cover both human’s feet, though Demian didn’t mind much. It was like having a living foot warmer. Mammon grumbled something about begging for treats like a dog under his breath and clicked the first episode on, turning off the lights with a second remote Demian hadn’t noticed him get. The four of them sat back to watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hours passed as they watched, Mammon’s running commentary the only sound aside from Ruger’s occasional noise and Beelzebub’s feast. The huge amount of food Jekyll had rounded up began to dwindle. While he’d needed to be bribed to even watch it with them, Mammon seemed to be the most into it of all four of them. Demian enjoyed it just as much, unsurprising considering their netflix list was full of dramas, but they were quieter about it. Beside them Jekyll had resorted to fidgeting while they watched. Beelzebub seemed oblivious to the whole thing, eyes fixed on the food and only flicking to the screen every now and then.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian felt their chest grow tight at how often things went sideways for the second lord, despite trying his best. Mammon yelled at the screen as the Lord of Fools carefully gathered Geldie into his arms, tears running down the Lord’s face. “Don’t you dare die, Geldie! It can’t end like this, it just can’t…!” Jekyll swatted him on the arm. He ignored it, turning to the three at his side. “He’s gonna find a way to save Geldie, right?! What do you think? Please...please say he saves her…!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub sat back in his seat and tossed a wrapper at Mammon, bouncing harmlessly off his head. “If you want to know what happens, you’ll have to keep watching.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll got up to stretch their legs and switch dvds as needed. Mammon took the opportunity to chatter on about the show. It was honestly rather endearing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Onscreen, the Lord of Flies slammed down a sheaf of papers, the report from his commanders. The supply lines were cut off. He shoved a hand through his hair, snarling. The Lord of Fools, hoping to help, had instead sparked a pandemic. Mammon was in tears. “...Don’t blame the Lord of Fools…! He was worried about the Lord of Flies and wanted to help… That’s all! It’s not fair. He was bein’ so helpful, and he meant well… So, why...WHY…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mammon, stop crying. Your nose is running, you know.” Beelzebub looked annoyed. Secondhand frustration? Or maybe he was just fed up with Mammon talking over the show.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon scrubbed at his cheeks with his sleeve, his face red. “Come on, how can I NOT cry watchin’ this. Huh?! It’s all so saaaaaaaaaad…!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll elbowed Demian. “Swap spots with me, I want chips.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded and stood, swapping places. As they took their new spot, they wondered if Jekyll just wanted to get away from Mammon sniffling in their ear. His sunglasses hid his eyes in the darkness of his room, but he was far from subtle about crying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian kinda liked it. There were far too many people that hid their feelings. Mammon felt genuine, sincere, despite his blustering when he was embarrassed. It was easy to see through, but. Moments like this, Demian actually thought they could like him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon elbowed them when he caught them looking. “Hey, human. Watch the show, idiot.” Demian mumbled a quick “Sorry.” and turned back to the screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub looked sad as the eldest and youngest Lords went to war, and the youngest was imprisoned. Mammon sat up, pointing at the screen, his brows drawn in anger. “Seriously, what’s wrong with them? They’re brothers, aren’t they? Couldn’t one of them have done something to stop it from coming to this?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian leaned away from his loud voice in their ear, encroaching on Jekyll’s personal space, though Jekyll didn’t mention it. Beelzebub stayed silent, lost in thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The end credits of the last dvd played. Mammon slumped against the couch, tired from the emotional energy he’d exerted. Demian felt the same way, facts swimming in their head. “Jekyll, how much will you remember from that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll laughed to themselves, a little awkwardly. “Not much. That was a Lot.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian sighed. “I got it. I’m sure I have time to look it up later.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon stood abruptly. “Yep! Later. I wanna sleep. Go. Shoo.” He ushered all three of them out and shut the door behind them, leaving two humans and Beelzebub standing in the hallway. Jekyll and Demian shared a look.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’d better get some sleep too. Thanks for hanging out, Beelzebub.” Demian said. Jekyll echoed it, and the two of them left for bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The same voice called to Jekyll as they got ready for bed, sounding plaintive. They blocked it out as best as they could, knowing there was no reaching the attic without dealing with Lucifer first. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They resorted to flipping through their new book, skimming the illustrations. They were too tired to read it any more in depth. Each picture starred the main character, a cat-thing with long hair and wide, dark eyes. It stole a piece from each being that died, and performed strange rites to save? resurrect? Its family, who were equally strange. Jekyll was absorbed in the book, turning back to actually read it. When they fell asleep, book open on their chest, they dreamt of the wood, and the cat-thing, chasing moths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The biggest problem the next morning would be convincing Leviathan to accept their challenge. Jekyll had offered to convince him, knowing how much Demian hated confrontation. So while Mammon quizzed Demian on the show, Jekyll hunted down the third eldest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He opened the door faster than Jekyll had expected, staring them in the eye through his bangs. “I heard what you’re up to, human. Seems that you two are trying to suck up to me so I’ll like you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Surprised, Jekyll asked “Who told you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s no use playing dumb. I heard it from Lucifer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Lucifer</b>
  <span> knew? Already? They’d only come up with the plan the other day. Jekyll hoped he hadn’t figured out what it was for. Leviathan spoke again when Jekyll didn’t answer fast enough for him. “You know, I’ve heard it said that the time a fool spends thinking is WASTED time. I think that applies here. You’re lucky to have so much time on your hands that you can sit around thinking up schemes like this.” His face was twisted with jealousy. It looked natural on him, not surprising, considering he’s the Avatar of Envy. “There’s so much anime I need to watch, so many figurines and trading cards I need to organize, so many games I need to play just sitting there piled up… As much as I wish I could watch a marathon of every TSL dvd, I don’t have the time… It’s so not fair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon had mentioned something about ‘it’s not fair’ practically being Levi’s catchphrase. Levi barreled on before Jekyll could get a word in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyway, I don’t know what it is you’re plotting, but I’m not about to get all buddy-buddy with some human </span>
  <b>normies. </b>
  <span>Understand? Get that through your head. I’m not as easily manipulated as Mammon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Time to put this plan into action. “Let’s compete to see who’s the bigger TSL fan!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Levi blinked at them. “...What? Where did that come from? Do you </span>
  <b>seriously</b>
  <span> think you could beat me in a competition involving TSL? Haha, that’s hilarious! lololol!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...He just said ‘lololol’ out loud. What a </span>
  <b>nerd</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He continued, ignoring the semi baffled look on Jekyll’s face. “As if I’d actually accept a challenge like that. I mean, I already know what the outcome would be.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll grinned. “Afraid of losing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>Excuse me?</b>
  <span> Did you process anything I just said? Where are you getting this idea that I might actually lose to you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not to me. To Demian!” Jekyll set their hand on their hip. Levi’s eyes flicked to the movement and back to their face, unaffected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Demian.” He said, his tone flat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Push a little more, Jekyll. Mammon’s plan - to annoy Levi into agreeing to it - would work. It had to. “I knew it. You ARE afraid, then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me? </span>
  <b>EXCUSE ME?!</b>
  <span> Are you processing ANYTHING I’m saying here?!” Levi yelled. He pulled his door open farther, his face incredulous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll turned around and called down the hallway. “Levi’s a chicken!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh - hey! Watch what you say, human!” Levi protested, stepping outside and shutting the door behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll danced away from him. “Levi’s an otaku!” They fought back giggles, looking back at a flustered Levi. “Levi’s a -!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan clapped his hands over their mouth. “Fine! If that’s what you want, I’ll do it. I accept your challenge.” He sighed heavily. “We’ll compete to see which one of us loves TSL more, Demian or me. Just one thing, though.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He leaned over Jekyll, looming over them, his bangs shading his eyes. “If you lose, your friend might never make it back to the human world alive. But you </span>
  <b>still</b>
  <span> want to do this, right? Okay.” He smiled, but it didn’t seem like one of happiness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded, suddenly serious, and darted off to report to Demian and Mammon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them reached the school together, as usual. Satan met them in the hallway. “Hello there, Demian, Jekyll. I heard about what’s happening. It seems you and Levi are going to have a little competition. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded. Jekyll was the one to answer verbally, however. “Yep!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub appeared from behind his older brother, looking as serious as always. “...Are you hoping to find out what’s in the attic room? Is that it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll and Demian shared a look, gauging if they should admit to it. Jekyll answered. “We are, yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub looked a little surprised. “Huh. You don’t say… I’ll let you in on a nice piece of information. Levi is a demon of </span>
  <b>envy</b>
  <span>. If you can work him into a jealous frenzy, he’ll lose control of himself. Then he’ll be guaranteed to slip up somehow, giving you an opening you can exploit. Just one thing, though.” His face grew serious. “If Levi does lose control of himself, your life will also be in danger.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian adjusted the cuff of their sleeve. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you want to thank me, give me food.” Beelzebub brightened. “You can buy me a megaton-size bowl of pasta with mixed entrails. And I’d like that topped with sliced anaconda, fried tarantula, and Nile crocodile brains.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>...ew. Demons eat some weird stuff.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan spoke up. “I’ll give you a piece of advice, too. The dvd version of TSL is up to season 7 now. That’s the most recent release. Meanwhile, the original book version is up to volume 8 at this point. Volume 9 of the book isn’t out yet. But if you want to know what’s going to happen in it, you should ask Simeon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian raised their eyebrows. “Simeon? Okay. Thanks, Satan.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan looked at them with disbelief. “I’m surprised you’re so willing to take my word for it on this. You aren’t concerned I might be lying to you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian shrugged. “If you were trying to get us eaten, you wouldn’t send us to Simeon. I doubt an angel is gonna kill us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan smiled. “Is that so? See you later, then.” Demian nodded to him, and left with Jekyll in search of Simeon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They weren’t able to find the angels before class, and ended up holding an emergency meeting with Mammon in the back of the classroom. He spoke in a harsh whisper, not used to keeping his voice down. “You’re tellin’ me that Beel and Satan </span>
  <b>both</b>
  <span> gave you hints for how to defeat Levi? Ya don’t say… How VERY interesting…” He rubbed his face, thinking. “Well, ya know why they did that though, right? It’s all because I’m lookin’ after ya. You’ve got Mammon to thank for this!” He hit the table with both hands, a smug smile on his face. “Those two are givin’ </span>
  <b>you</b>
  <span> special treatment because they know that </span>
  <b>I’m</b>
  <span> the one in charge of you. They want me to be pleased with them, ya see! So, whaddya think about that? NOW you get it, doncha! It’s clear how important I am, and how much my younger brothers respect me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked so happy that Demian couldn’t bring themselves to point out that it was probably because they wanted to know what was in the attic, or because they wanted to get back at Lucifer, in Satan’s case. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh...hey!” Mammon’s eyes were wide, bright piercing blue. “Come on, it feels weird when you agree with me like that. I mean, doncha think you should’ve taken that opportunity to put me down or somethin’.” Demian’s dark eyes widened as well, shocked. That was. Was that really what Mammon expected from them? They couldn’t tell if the pang in their chest was sympathy or hurt. Jekyll looked equally surprised, making eye contact with Demian briefly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon brushed off their reaction. “Eh, whatever...Just let this be a learnin’ experience. From now on, you oughta respect me like they do! Ugh, forget it. Let’s get down to business. We need to figure out what our strategy’s gonna be with this Levi thing.” He leaned over the desk, sitting backwards in his chair to face Demian and Jekyll, who had claimed seats next to each other. “First off, what Beel told you is right. If you can make Levi jealous, he’s bound to lose his cool. Though there’s no guarantee he won’t kill ya if that happens.” Mammon shrugged. Demian mirrored it, earning a swift poke from Jekyll. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But that’s just how it’s gotta be. There’s no way you’ll beat Levi in a competition over who’s the bigger TSL nerd. Not if you fight fair. You’d best face up to the fact that this is gonna involve a little risk.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded, pressing a knuckle to their mouth. “There’s gonna be a risk involved no matter how we go about this, right? There’s no sense in worrying about it.” Jekyll shot them a Look. Demian shrugged again at them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon blinked at them, then clearly elected to ignore their words. “...So. We’ve gotta figure out </span>
  <b>how</b>
  <span> you’re gonna manage to make him jealous. He may be called the Avatar of Envy, but it’s hard to make him give in to it. Instead of gettin’ super jealous of you, he’ll get all negative about his own situation. He’ll start talkin’ about how it’s ‘not fair’ and you’re ‘lucky’ and stuff.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon clearly knows Leviathan well, Demian thought. His voice pulled them from their thoughts. “You’re not gonna be able to get him to lose his cool just by doing a little bragging. No, you’re gonna have to do somethin’ to make him REAL jealous. So jealous that he nearly pops a blood vessel.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll shifted in their seat, probably trying to get comfortable. “Why don’t we just ask Simeon?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yeah, Satan did say somethin’ about talking to him, didn’t he?” said Mammon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded. “Said we should ask him about the next TSL novel, the one that’s not out yet.” It was a good plan, assuming Satan could be trusted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I’m dyin’ to find out what’s gonna happen myself. Still though, why would Simeon know what’s gonna happen in the next book when it’s not even out yet?” Mammon drummed his fingers on the desk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian slid their phone across the desk, away from Mammon’s hand. They were curious too. Leviathan said it was a human world series, right? Was Simeon a friend of the author’s?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll volunteered to go look for Simeon. Demian stayed behind for a quiz cramming session with Mammon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside the room Asmodeus had claimed for their competition, the three of them regrouped. Jekyll leaned in close, and told them what Simeon knew.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They entered the room.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The student council room looked the same as it had the day they’d arrived. The row of seats under the banners already held Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Satan, Lucifer, and Diavolo himself. Two small lecterns had been set up facing each other in the centre of the room. Leviathan waited behind the one closest to the door. Mammon went straight to take the seat under the crow’s banner. Demian crossed to the other stand, focusing on ignoring the eyes on them, worried that if they stopped to dwell on it, they’d forget how to walk. Jekyll moved to stand by them, but Asmodeus beckoned them over. He patted his lap in invitation. Jekyll shook their head, opting instead to sit on Beelzebub’s other side. Beelzebub eyed them for a second before returning to his food. Asmodeus pouted, but started his speech.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All right, everyone! Finally, the wait is over!” He stood from his chair, puffing himself up dramatically. Jekyll stifled a giggle. Asmodeus winked at them before he continued. “It’s time for Devil’s Trivia Showdown, the quiz show that pits demon against human! Today our competitors will be testing their knowledge regarding a super-famous, super-popular fantasy series. One that’s known by young and old alike… </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Tale of the Seven Lords</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Now, it’s time to introduce our two competitors.” He gestured to Leviathan, across from Demian. “First, he’s a demon who freely admits to being a giant TSL nerd! Meet Leviathan!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Everyone knows who we both are, though, Demian thought. This is unnecessary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan straightened, looking confident. “I am the G.O.A.T. None can oppose me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Goat…?” Demian asked, confusion written clear across their face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Greatest of all time, normie.” Leviathan looked annoyed. Demian held up their hands to placate him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And his challenger claims to have been introduced to TSL only very recently after binge watching the dvds! Say hello to Demian!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian was very, very, uncomfortable. Leviathan’s glare only made the eyes on them seem like a physical force. They glanced at Jekyll, who was smiling encouragingly, and took a deep breath. “Hi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan completely disregarded them. “You know, I don’t even care about this whole competition thing, honestly. I mean, I already know how this is going to end.” He adjusted his uniform in vain, considering how messy it already was. “I’m only doing this because it gives me a chance to show off my encyclopedic knowledge of TSL to everyone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Serving as judge for today’s competition is our very own Demon Lord himself, Diavolo.” Asmodeus presented him with a flourish. Diavolo sat in the lone chair elevated above the brothers’ seats, smiling. Demian wished Asmodeus hadn’t made such a production out of this, if he was indeed the one responsible for how many of them were here, and why </span>
  <em>
    <span>Diavolo</span>
  </em>
  <span> was watching. They felt mortified already just doing the quiz.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Don’t cry under the pressure. Don’t do it. It’d make it leagues worse. Diavolo was speaking, but Demian barely heard it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Color commentary will be provided by Satan, Avatar of Wrath. But a good commentator needs to keep a cool head. I wonder, is he really up to the task?” Asmodeus addressed his older brother, looking concerned. Satan was calm and collected as always.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. So, I’m doing the commentary? That’s a lot of responsibility.” Satan said, but his expression was pleased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now say hello to our guest demon, the always-famished Beelzebub! For his appearance fee, he requested to be compensated in cheeseburgers. How very Beel of him…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sure enough, Beelzebub had a pile of cheeseburgers, already making a dent before the competition even began. Demian did not even have the mental space left to wonder how expensive that must have been, their entire mind focused on Leviathan and what they had to do. If they forgot, Mammon would eat them alive. Hopefully not literally.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And your host for the day is none other than yours truly, Asmodeus. The demon who can make you swoon simply by whispering into your ear.” Asmodeus smiled brightly. “You all know me, </span>
  <b>you all love me.</b>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon interrupted him. “All right, enough. This is gettin’ ridiculous. Let’s get this show on the road!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beside Mammon, Lucifer turned to him. “I thought you hated wasting your time at events like this, Mammon. Yet here you are. Truly, wonders never cease.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, Lucifer. I’ve got some free time, that’s all.” But his blush said otherwise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well then, we’ll start with you, Demian. Get ready for TSL Quiz question number one!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian fixed their gaze on a point over Asmodeus’ shoulder, unwilling to risk making eye contact and being accidentally charmed. They answered his questions to the best of their ability, though they had to fight to bring their shoulders down from around their ears. Asmodeus’ clear favoritism gave them some relief. Their own questions were much easier than Leviathan’s, but he still matched them question for question. Demian began to dread what they would have to do to win. Eventually -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long are we going to keep this charade up? This is getting boring.” Leviathan complained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon agreed. “Yep, I’d say it has. All right Demian, it’s time to pull out the big guns! Let’s see how Levi here likes your trump card!” Jekyll whooped quietly, so as not to interrupt Mammon. It pulled a tiny smile from Demian. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Levi, you’re way too full of yourself.” Mammon stood from his seat and pointed at his brother. “Which is why we’re about to reach inside ya, yank out that pride, and crush it like a bug!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anger spread across Leviathan’s face. “What…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, well, interesting…” Diavolo looked intrigued, leaning over his desk for a better look at the proceedings below. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus gasped in surprise. “Wow! It sounds to me like the gauntlet has just been thrown down! It would seem Demian has some sort of trump card to use against Leviathan! Perhaps now would be a good time to check in with our colour commentator. Satan, what do you think this could be about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan looked slightly smug, though that was close enough to his default expression that Demian couldn’t really tell the difference. “Well, it’s not at all surprising that Demian would come into this with a secret weapon. It seems the advice I gave is about to pay some dividends. Excellent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus smacked at Satan’s arm. “Are you telling us that you provided </span>
  <b>aid</b>
  <span> to Demian? How </span>
  <b>very </b>
  <span>wicked of you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan simply leaned away from Asmodeus. “Technically, it was </span>
  <b>Jekyll</b>
  <span> I spoke to. I said nothing to Demian themselves.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus pouted at him, then sighed and returned his attention to Demian and Leviathan. “...In any event, if Demian really does have a secret weapon, it could mean something that will make winning against Leviathan possible! Perhaps we should hear what Demian’s opponent thinks about this. Tell me Levi, what’s running through your head right now?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan had been suppressing laughter since Mammon’s minispeech, and finally gave in when addressed. “ROFLMAO! Looooooooooooooooooooooooool!” Annoyance flared in Demian, and they grabbed hold of it, letting it fuel them. Better to be irritated than frightened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus looked as baffled as Demian felt. “Right… I have absolutely no idea what you’re saying! But clearly you don’t see this as a threat… Got it! So,” He turned his attention back to Demian, who avoided eye contact. “What could this trump card of Demian and Jekyll’s be?! Let’s find out...!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. Then they summarized the major plot developments in the unreleased 9th TSL novel. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan stammered, covering his ears. “Wh...what? ...NO! That’s insane… the Lord of Masks wouldn’t do that to the Lord of Shadow. Lies, all of it! Pure hogwash! Don’t think you can fool me by making up random stuff like that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian groaned inwardly. Maybe they should’ve just written porn and thrown it in his face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Diavolo saved them. “Hmm. Actually, Demian doesn’t appear to be lying as far as I can see.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan looked Leviathan in the eye. “Levi, you know as well as I do that Lord Diavolo has the ability to discern whether someone is telling the truth.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan’s face was pale with shock. Jekyll was on the edge of their seat, grinning at how well the plan was working. Leviathan looked from Diavolo to Demian and back. “B-but… no…! Everyone online has been talking about how the Lord of Masks and the Lord of Shadow are totally going to make up… What you said CAN’T happen! It… it just CAN’T!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon looked as surprised as Leviathan did, strangely enough. “Huh, so all that stuff Simeon told Jekyll was true then? How about that.” Under his breath, he added: “Still though, how is it that he knows all that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus cleared his throat. “All right, um… Okay, I suppose that settles who the true TSL nerd is…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A spark of power came from Leviathan, drawing all eyes in the room to him. “I won’t stand for this. All you did was stay up one night marathoning the dvds. The idea that someone like YOU could actually be a bigger TSL fan than me, it’s…” Fury began to pour off of him in waves. Satan raised his eyebrows from his seat. Mammon stood and started to make his way around the long desk. “Wh-whoa, calm down there, Levi…!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan smacked the stand in front of him. “No… </span>
  <b>no, </b>
  <span>I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!” In a blink, his uniform dissolved into a black hoodie. Branching horns melted from the air by his head as he changed forms, midform, then farther, as scales crept up his neck and his pupils narrowed to slits. A long tongue flicked out of a mouth that split all the way up his cheeks. Demian was rooted to the spot, unable to tear their eyes away from him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon yelled, scrambling to get around the desk, shoving at Beelzebub’s chair. “Demian, run! Get out of here!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian vaguely registered Mammon yelling “I’m not gonna make it in time…!” before a blur jumped the desk beside Beelzebub and rushed for them - no, for Leviathan, who lunged as fast as a snake, clawed hands reaching for Demian’s throat. Mammon yelled again, changing direction and tackling the blur, sending both himself and Jekyll tumbling across the floor. Demian saw Jekyll’s eyes come up, up, to meet their face, their own terror reflected in them. Demian shut their eyes and braced themselves for the end. A rush of wind heralded Leviathan’s impact - </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were still breathing.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll struggled against the limbs wrapped around them, finally turning enough to bite down. Mammon yelled in their ear and rolled away, holding his arm. “What the hell, human! I just saved your butt!” Jekyll ignored him, gaze going straight to Demian - who was barely visible, sheltered behind Lucifer’s outstretched wings. Leviathan seethed in front of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They hadn’t even seen Lucifer move. He spoke, looking sternly at Levi. “I believe you were going to settle this via a QUIZ, weren’t you? Not through violence. You’re out of control, Levi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Levi looked shocked. “L...Lucifer…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon stopped his squawking and looked up, eyes going wide when he saw Lucifer shielding the human. “Wh…?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asmodeus nearly raised his voice in excitement and surprise. “Unbelievable! Just as Leviathan was about to strike who should step in and stop him but the one and only Lucifer himself! Simply incredible!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satan joined the chorus, demeanor calmer than his brothers. “I haven’t seen you leap to someone’s rescue like that in quite some time, Lucifer.” He looked thoughtful.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll breathed a sigh of relief. Demian was safe. Demian stayed rooted to the spot behind Lucifer, peering through the gap between his wings. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Levi, go back to your room and cool off.” said Lucifer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Levi made no move to leave. Diavolo stepped in.”Levi? You heard what he said, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Levi couldn’t disobey a direct order, right? He looked at Diavolo and Lucifer for a moment. “...yeah.” He glanced at Jekyll, still on the ground, and left, tail slithering across the tile floor behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon watched him go, looking pensive. Lucifer noticed and asked; “What is it, Mammon? You look like you want to say something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon dismissed it with a half shrug. “...No. I don’t wanna say nothin’.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian searched Mammon’s face, concerned. Jekyll stood from the ground, wincing when pain shot through their wrist. Mammon’s face fell further when he saw it. After some discussion, it was decided that Demian would win by default. Mammon still looked guilty as they left. Jekyll kept to Demian’s side. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” asked Demian.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re holding your wrist.” Demian imitated Jekyll, cradling one wrist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh. I just landed on it funny. It’ll be fine.” Jekyll insisted. Mammon caught up to them, uncharacteristically sullen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they arrived at the house of lamentation, Mammon walked them to Jekyll’s room, herding both humans inside. Beelzebub followed them in. Mammon disappeared for a moment, returning with a first aid kit. He held out his hand to Jekyll. “Lemme see it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll twisted away from him. “I’m fine, I can do it myself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Lemme see it!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Jekyll didn’t obey, Mammon huffed and grabbed for their arm, freezing when they tensed. He took their arm more gently, leading them to sit on the bed. Shame flushed Jekyll’s cheeks pink as Mammon examined their wrist, carefully feeling it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub hovered nearby, a respectable distance from both Jekyll and Demian. “You humans really are way less physically capable than us demons.” He thought for a moment. “That’s because they don’t eat enough. And unlike us, they don’t eat the right things.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian made a subtle face at the mention of the ‘right things’, knowing Beel’s taste. They relaxed a smidge when Jekyll smiled at them. Mammon shot Beel a glare. “Stop tying everything back to food, Beel! Actually, why’re you even here, anyway? Seems to me you’ve been spendin’ an awful lot of time here since the night of the dvd marathon.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beel shrugged. “Well, so have you. I mean, you’ve even left a cell phone charger here. That’s how much you’re over here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll couldn’t help butting in. “He has a toothbrush in Demian’s.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon let go of Jekyll’s wrist midwrap. Jekyll pulled it back and began to wrap it themselves before Mammon could take it back. “W...well that’s because, uh...you know… I’ve gotta look after these humans, don’t I? It’s my job…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mammon, you did such a terrible job with the bandages that Jekyll’s managed to top it one-handed.” Beel moved to help, but Jekyll waved him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I got it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, shut up!” Mammon looked away from everyone else. “I’ve never had to wrap someone’s wrist before, okay? I don’t know how it works!” He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Beel seemed to see something Jekyll didn’t, as he said something about going for drinks and left quickly, leaving Mammon alone with the humans.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon mumbled something.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll leaned closer, trying to tuck the last bit of the bandage in. “What was that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon grumbled louder, taking back their hand and finishing the wrapping. “I said I’m sorry, okay?! I wasn’t fast enough to save ya, Demian, and Jekyll’s hurt ‘cause of me…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian looked uncomfortable. They tried to brush it off. “It’s fine. Everything turned out alright.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon snapped at them. “No! Next time, if I’m not there to save ya, you should - you should just die! I don’t want anyone else savin’ ya!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian blinked, taken aback. Jekyll stared at Mammon, startled. “Why??”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Because...ya know, because it’s my JOB!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No way, what the hell?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mammon blustered some more, but quieted when Demian’s phone started to ring. “Uh, hey, ain’t that yours?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian nodded, digging their phone out of their pocket and turning away to answer it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They listened to whoever was on the other end, then spoke. “Okay, I’ll be right there.” They turned back to Mammon and Jekyll. “Leviathan wants to see me.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll had insisted on accompanying Demian to their meeting with Leviathan, something they were grateful for, remembering the sheer rage on Leviathan’s face when he’d lunged for them. They’d left Mammon in Jekyll’s room, without an answer to his ridiculous demand. Demian felt a little bad about that, but what answer would they have even given him? While they couldn’t do much to fight back against a demon, they wouldn’t just sit there and wait to die either. They cursed themselves and how they’d frozen in the face of Leviathan’s attack. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two of them arrived at the observatory. Leviathan was waiting for them. “...Finally. I’ve been waiting for you to show up. It took you long enough. When I call for you, you need to come right away, understand? Don’t walk, run. I want you moving at light speed. Like the way Henry races over whenever his best friend the Lord of Shadow calls on him. You saw the TSL dvds, so you should know.” He huffed. “Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you and I are best friends or anything. As if. So, do you know why I called you here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To make a pact…?” said Demian, hopeful, but nervous, the memory of his clawed hands aiming for their throat still fresh in their mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leviathan sighed. “All right, look. Here’s the thing. That little trump card you pulled out was a real dirty trick… but a promise is a promise after all. It really kills me to do this… it makes my stomach churn. But...I’ll keep my end of the bargain. But ONLY one pact. I’m not making a pact with both of you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nudged Demian. “You’re the one who won the quiz. You make the pact.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian turned to them, somewhat incredulous. “Are you sure…? Wouldn’t another pact make your witch thing even stronger?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You won, it’s only fair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian fidgeted. They </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to make the pact, but -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just do it, nerd.” Jekyll pushed them gently towards Leviathan.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay! Thank you, Leviathan.” They reached for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmph.” He took Demian’s hand and they felt the pact slot into place. “So, what’s this about anyways? There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there? A normie human like you asking to make a pact with a demon like me? You must have some sort of ulterior motive. Go on, spill the beans.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian rubbed the back of their neck, embarrassed at being found out so easily. “Lend us your copy of the TSL soundtrack?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“AHA! I knew it! I knew no one would actually WANT to make a pact with me. You two even argued over who had to do it, right in front of me!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Demian and Jekyll both winced.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not like this is surprising or anything.” continued Leviathan. “Well, I don’t know what you’re planning on doing with my record, but...just don’t sell it, understand?” He detailed his requirements for lending it - returned in pristine condition, of course. Demian nodded, accepting it gingerly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Leviathan.” They handed it to Jekyll, who tucked it under their arm and offered Demian a high five. They acquiesced. Leviathan grumbled with envy, so Jekyll offered him one too. Despite some rumbling about ‘not wanting a high five from a normie like you’, he high-fived them when they threatened to withdraw their offer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two humans left him there, Demian thrilled to have a second pact, Jekyll excited to deliver the record to Lucifer and sate their curiosity, once their wrist healed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jekyll decided that the best option was to wait for their wrist to heal before heading to the attic. If Lucifer was so adamant that it wasn’t a place for humans, there could be something dangerous up there, and they should be in the best condition they could in case they’d have to fight. After parting with Demian, they tucked the record safely away in their room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When none of their games proved enough to hold their interest, they returned to </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kitling Ripe and the Moldywarp’s Grave</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It was pretty morbid for children’s stories. They flipped through it, letting the book fall open on a section near the end. It read -</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘When the Snake-Witch killed the stag, Kitling snatched one of its eyes. When the Dry-Witch killed the sow, Kitling stole a cup of its blood. Then she took them to the place where Moldywarp lay buried, and she shook out her hair, and she began to dance…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The descriptions brought to mind the woods they’d dreamt of, and - the poem they’d received, from the spirit that left Demian unconscious a whole day. It was here somewhere.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Jekyll searched through their desk, checking between books and under their laptop, until they found the crumpled slip of paper tucked in between the pages of a textbook, the corner just sticking out. They smoothed it flat on their desk, comparing it to the passage in the book. The same rhythm in the words, the same images as the dream they dreamed when they’d cut their hair, the decisive </span>
  <em>
    <span>snip</span>
  </em>
  <span> of their scissors. Kitling, in the book, shook her long hair out, and held it taut, cutting through and offering it to her ‘other grandmother’, Moldywarp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll reexamined the poem, picturing their dream, when the moths led them into the wood. There were other influences in the poem - parts of it seeped pale red vitality from the paper, not the grey-brown restlessness the dream gave them, the buzzing under their skin, in their brain. But they could see how the poet had found their way in. They were certain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was the Wood they’d seen. If they followed it, on a night when the moon was right, and the wood was close to the world. Their first dream rose, unbidden, the memory of the way their skin sat wrong on their shoulders and clung too tightly to their back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll wracked their mind for what Demian had once told them about lucid dreaming - to count their fingers to see if they were asleep, to stay calm lest you wake yourself up - and resolved to try. To retrace the steps of the poem, and see what the poet had seen, the night they set this to paper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They lay back on the bed, then thought better of it, collecting their pillow and a blanket and heading back to the observatory, book under their arm. Leviathan had long since left, and the room was empty. The chill cut through their clothes, and they shivered as they crossed to a reclining chair. They arranged their pillow and blanket around them, tucking it securely under their feet. They looked up at the devildom’s moon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While there were no trees to block its light, it dappled the blanket and Jekyll’s face, as if filtering through leaves, or thousands of tiny, beating wings. They read by moonlight, until sleep claimed them softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their eyes shut, but they could still see the moon, high above them, its light caressing their face. Jekyll rose up towards it, unfurling to reach for it, shrugging free of their blanket. It whispered across their bare skin, but they felt no discomfort, though the night was cold. They reached out their hands - which were not hands, but close enough - and cupped the moon, silver-cold in their palms. It turned to water and ran through the gaps between their fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The veins in their arms glowed silver, as well, tingling as their pulse thrummed in them. The wind made their skin shiver. There were others here, they realized. Not dancers, as the poet described, but people in greys and whites and blacks and browns. Their wings flickered in and out of the light, dark and light and dark again, circling between tree trunks. Jekyll followed them, the feeling in their veins resonating with them. The trees around them were large enough to need three people with arms outstretched to reach all the way around. A moth-dancer met their eyes, and bowed low, offering their hand to Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They took it, and were led deeper into the trees, towards an orange glow of light. All around, they caught glimpses of other winged beings, all drawn to the light. They followed, followed, followed, like the poet did, like their blood does. Their shoulders are heavy, but it felt right, more right than anything before. The unsettling feeling of their first dream was far away, driven back by the warmth of the fire and the hand in theirs. In the light, they can see the others better. Large wings spread from their backs, flickering in the firelight, dappled with the moon. It ran over them in silver streams. They wore their hair loose and long, tangling around their limbs as they danced. Every now and then, one would step into the fire, dancing gracefully, and leaping out, hair glowing with embers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll’s partner pulled them into the shadows of the trees, grinning playfully. They flit among the trees, scrambling over and under roots, the firelight dancing across their bodies. Jekyll’s partner slipped away into the clearing, leaving them alone to dance, dance, dance, hair brushing their wings, ichor rushing through their veins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They woke, panting as if they’d run a marathon, shoulder blades itching and twitching as if their wings were still there. When they reached back to run their hand over them, there was nothing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But still, they yearned.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jekyll woke again at 7 that morning, restlessness pooling in their limbs. They shook themselves out when they stood and stretched. The feeling of the dream still laid on them like a second skin, but details were already beginning to fade. They couldn’t recall the face of the dancer who had taken their hand, only the heat of the fire and the cool shade amongst the trees. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They sat up, realizing they were still in the observatory. They skimmed the poem quickly, noting how similar it was to their dream. So they’d succeeded, then. But it would be awkward if anyone spotted them in the observatory in their pajamas. Jekyll gathered their things and headed back to their room as stealthily as possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They froze as they passed the kitchen. Beel froze when he spotted them in their pajamas, blanket in their arms, his snack halfway to his mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you walking around like that?” he asked, eating whatever he was holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I - I was having trouble sleeping, so I figured a change of scenery would help.” Jekyll gathered their blanket farther into their arms, fumbling when their pillow threatened to fall.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’d you sleep?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The - ah - observatory? I think that’s what it was.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beelzebub nodded. “It’s good for naps.” He looked distant for a moment, thinking about something - someone? - else. “Did you get to sleep?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll relaxed minutely. “Yeah. I gotta get this stuff back to my room.” Beel nodded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll continued and opened the door to their room, stepping carefully around an excited Ruger. They dumped their armload on the bed and pet him, crossing to look for his leash. They figured the best way to get rid of this restless energy would be exercise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Wanna go out, Roog? Yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That wagging meant yes, he very much did. He stood and stretched, padding over to Jekyll.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll clipped his leash to his collar and led him from the room. Beel poked his head out from the kitchen. “Where are you going?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just a quick walk.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His brow furrowed. “You’re not supposed to go outside by yourself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll shrugged dismissively. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got Ruger.” Ruger was far from a small dog, his head reaching Jekyll’s ribs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Beel considered it a moment, then ducked back inside. He came out, his arms full of food. “I’ll come with you.” He said decisively. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have to do that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want to.” And he followed Jekyll out the door, easily keeping his snacks out of dog range.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The air outside was crisp this early in the day, refreshing as it hit Jekyll’s face. Beel guided them around the corner of the dorms, towards a small trail. The ever-present devildom moon hung above them, distant but bright. He seemed content to walk in silence, eating his snacks. Ruger paced a few steps ahead of Jekyll, nose to the ground. Beel reached out and twitched the leash, beckoning Ruger away from a large purple flower. At Jekyll’s glance, he explained it could be toxic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll kept Ruger closer to them after that. Beelzebub kept pace with them effortlessly, though they were already slowed by Ruger’s curiosity. The quiet, while slightly awkward, was easy to relax into. The soft crunch of dead leaves under their feet accompanied them. Jekyll turned their attention to the demon beside them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was far taller than them, and by extension Demian as well, as both humans were the same height. His build suggested an athlete, or a fitness junkie. When their thoughts drifted back to their dream, Jekyll pulled themselves back to the present. Beel eyed them, but didn’t seem to have noticed their distraction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After another few minutes, Beel turned them around with a hand on Jekyll’s back briefly. “Let’s head back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded. The restlessness had faded, leaving only a sense of alertness, though that may have been the cool air and the exercise. The two of them (three, if you counted the dog) walked back to the house, chatting idly. As the front door of the house of lamentation appeared, Jekyll stopped Beel with a quick tap on his arm. “Thanks for worrying about me and Dem. We appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He reddened slightly. “Of course.” Jekyll hid a smile behind their hand at the blush on his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was worth doing again, Jekyll thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jekyll shut Ruger back in their room and sighed, heading to classes. Dem had already left for school, they walked with the brothers after breakfast. Jekyll preferred to skip breakfast and head to class alone. They weren’t supposed to go unaccompanied, of course, but that didn’t stop them. Besides, the dorms were close to the school itself, and most of the demons around there were students and recognized them. It was a little strange to know everyone they passed recognized them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They met up with Demian in their first class as usual, receiving a nod and small smile. Jekyll tried to focus on class, they did, but their mind kept drifting back to the attic and the voice, and the pacts they and Demian had made. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The voice wasn’t like any of their hallucinations, when they had them. It had been clear, rather than overlapping whispers that built until they overwhelmed Jekyll. The strange pull the voice made in their chest was new, too. Something - or someone - wanted them up those stairs. Jekyll rubbed their sprained wrist absently. As soon as it was healed, they would go.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The pacts were a whole other issue. They’d only been able to perform minor rituals before, but with a demon’s power in their hands - they’d have to figure out how to use it first. There was one person who came to mind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll excused themselves after class and went to search for Solomon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jekyll found him, he was in the library, browsing. “Oi, Solomon!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned at their voice. “Jekyll. What is it?” He looked pleased to see them, in that subtle way of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’d probably be fine with it, Jekyll reasoned. Just ask. “Could you tell me how to use pacts to do magic shit?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Solomon smiled. “Sure. I’ll walk you home, we can talk on the way?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll agreed, and they left together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first part of their walk was spent in silence. Once the crowds had dispersed somewhat, Solomon spoke. “How much do you know already?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll thought for a moment. “Minor summoning rituals and charms, though I’ve never summoned something physical.” Not like Dem had, they thought with a hint of envy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So starting from the basics, then. Pacts are a different beast entirely.” He touched his face, thinking. “When you make a pact, you’re binding the demon to you in exchange for something.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded. “Mammon was after his credit card. We held it hostage.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You held it - ha!” Solomon glanced at them in surprise, and laughed brightly. “That’s one way to do it! I knew I liked you.” He cleared his throat. “There’s a few different ways to use them. You can draw power from the pact - borrowing the demon’s power - to fuel your own magic, if you have any. You can summon the demon directly and draw their power out of them, making them stronger.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like a buff in a game.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Have you tried summoning Mammon yet?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll shook their head. “No, not yet. I didn’t wanna do it without permission.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That would be a good place to start. I’ll write down the incantation I use. Even if your power is weak, it should be easier here in the Devildom, since you won’t have to pull him between planes. If we were in the human world, you’d need the full ritual.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll nodded and thanked him, mind already mulling over how to convince Mammon to be their test subject. They remembered - Demian’s summoning. “What about if you don’t use an incantation or ritual?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Solomon looked at them quizzically. “That’s not possible, unless you’re extraordinarily powerful. A higher-ranked demon could do it. Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll hesitated, uncertain about trusting Solomon with the details of the incident, even now that Dem had completely recovered. “No reason in particular.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Solomon eyed Jekyll. They flashed him a nervous smile. He looked skeptical, but didn’t ask any further questions. He returned to elaborating how to draw from the pact without draining the demon - specifying that with one as powerful as Mammon, draining him would be nigh impossible - and what to look for: warning signs of a spell failing, or of another spirit butting in on a summoning. Jekyll filed it away in their head, slightly dizzy with all the new information. Soon enough they were at the gates of the house of lamentation, and Solomon was tearing a page from his notebook and handing it to Jekyll. On it was written instructions for both the summoning in devildom and the ritual needed for a long-distance summon. When Jekyll raised their eyebrows at him, he laughed quietly. “I expected something like this when you made a pact. You and Demian seem inexperienced in this sort of thing, Demian in particular.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jekyll folded the paper and tucked it into their pocket, thanking him. When they turned to go inside, Solomon called after them. “And Jekyll?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They turned to face him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know about Demian’s little summoning incident.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was gone before Jekyll could say a word.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Suspicion lurked in the back of Jekyll’s mind, Solomon’s words still echoing. If he knew about the summoning, what else did he know? There’s no way he knew about their plans for the attic, right?</p><p>They tucked the slip of paper safely away with the poem the spirit had given them, hidden in the drawer of their desk. On a second thought, they pulled out the poem to examine it. They’d need Mammon’s cooperation to practice summoning, but this… Their dream had felt strange, a light feeling in their bones, as if they had been hollowed out. It was similar to the poem, though there were still some differences - there was no red dripping from the moon, only its light, washing the world to greys and the glitter of scales from their wings. What was it that had caused the dream in the first place?</p><p>The first dream - they’d cut a lock of their hair, and tucked it into the tree.</p><p>The second - they’d slept under the moon, as close to it as they could get.</p><p>Both dreams had taken them to the Wood. Demian’s dream had failed, hadn’t it? They didn’t mention anything more about it, and Jekyll hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask them about it after they passed out during the summoning. Would they return to the woods, if they dreamt again? Maybe in the observatory?</p><p>Jekyll decided to try it that night. They had to know. Even more so, if Solomon already had an idea of what was going on. He was more experienced than Jekyll, it’s true, but they didn’t trust him, and while Jekyll is strong enough to hold their own in a fight, Demian was not.</p><p>Jekyll spent the rest of the afternoon going over Solomon’s note and comparing it to their textbooks, noting parallels and absorbing the procedure.</p><p>------</p><p>That evening found Jekyll back in the observatory, setting up camp in the chair again, the poem folded in their palm. Sleep came easily.</p><p>When they woke, it was in the in-between hours, what was once called the witching hour, and others knew it as the streets strange by moonlight. Jekyll rose, shedding their blanket like a second skin once again, and left the observatory, the moonlight casting strange shadows across their face, half-hidden behind their long hair, which had fallen forward and hung across their face. They made their way through the house, and outside, bare feet on the gravel path. Unbeknownst to Jekyll, a second set of footsteps rang behind them.</p><p>------</p><p>He did not know what had woken him, but Asmodeus was already annoyed with it. He’d been woken from his beauty rest by a buzzing not unlike an angry Beelzebub. When he gave up on falling back to sleep and went to check the kitchen, he didn’t make it there at all before spotting a disheveled Jekyll, hair messy, leaving the building. Curiosity warred with concern and his need for sleep.</p><p>He followed them outside after quickly changing forms, his demon form clothes appearing on his body, replacing the soft silk robe he’d pulled on. They led him off the grounds of the house and towards the school, changing direction roughly halfway there. The night was cold and the ground was rough, but Jekyll didn’t seem to react to any of it, in spite of their thin clothes.</p><p>Jekyll led Asmodeus to one of the parks that surrounded the school and city, one of the denser ones, with beasts inside that left it off-limits to the exchange students -</p><p>Jekyll climbed the fence. Asmodeus’ wings twitched with worry, and he cleared the fence with an easy flap. Ahead of him, Jekyll’s purple hair faded in the shadows between the trees. They moved like they knew exactly where they were going, each root and branch. He caught up to them, ignoring the twigs that snagged at his hair and clothes. “Jekyll?”</p><p>Their gaze was blank and unseeing. They looked around, of course, checking the hollows of trees and underneath the roots, looking for something Asmodeus couldn’t see. Their eyesight had to be worse in this dark than his own, even with the moon overhead, just visible through the canopy. Jekyll didn’t react when he waved his hand in front of their face, or when he took their arm. They didn’t bother pulling away, simply stepping away as if he was just another obstacle like the fence. Asmodeus was worried. This behaviour - a curse? Some more bestial demon drawing prey to itself? - was something he’d never heard of before. “Jekyll, stop. What’s going on?” At this rate, his human (as much as Mammon might protest. Mammon hadn’t been the one they’d asked on a date, after all) was going to be lost in the woods, or worse, eaten.</p><p>He couldn’t wake them from their trance, but he could follow and kill anything that fancied a bite of an unaware human. Even if he winced whenever Jekyll dropped to their knees to paw between tree roots and in old burrows. Their legs were muddy. Their hands were no better.</p><p>Eventually, long enough that Asmodeus was certain they’d gotten hopelessly lost in the park, Jekyll froze, elbow-deep in a muddy hollow under a large tree root. They pulled it out.</p><p>It was wrapped in rough fabric, and when they peeled it away, he saw that it was a wooden box, smaller than a shoebox. Jekyll cradled it to their chest and stayed kneeling in the dirt. Asmodeus put a careful hand on their (thankfully clean) shoulder. They didn’t react. When it was clear they wouldn’t move, he gathered them into his arms, inwardly grimacing at the mud on his clothes, and flew them straight up above the treeline, and towards home.</p><p>------</p><p>When they arrived, Jekyll was beginning to stir in his arms. They woke fully just as he landed, and panicked, flailing in his arms. One arm caught the side of his head, and he fumbled them, quickly guiding them to the ground. “Hey! It’s me! Don’t hit me, I’m helping!”</p><p>Jekyll blinked the confusion from their eyes now that they weren’t restrained, the box dropped at their feet. “Asmo? Where are - why are you so dirty?”</p><p>“You don’t remember?! This is your fault! Look at yourself, all scratched up.”</p><p>Jekyll looked at themselves, dirt-flecked tank top and shorts and all in barefoot glory. “Why am I muddy?”</p><p>Asmodeus calmed, fixing his hair after wiping his hands clean. “I don’t know. I saw you walk outside alone, and being the benevolent demon I am, followed you to protect you. What were you doing, anyway? You wouldn’t answer me at all.” He picked up the box. “You stopped once you found this -”</p><p>Jekyll took it from him, quickly. “Sorry. I just - it’s mine.”</p><p>Asmodeus smothered his curiosity. “Of course. Before we see what’s inside, we should get cleaned up. I’ve got a bath with my name on it, if you’d like to join me?” He winked, eager to forget the excursion. Some fun would easily make up for missing sleep once in a while.</p><p>Jekyll shrugged. “Okay.”</p><p>Of course they didn’t - they said yes?! Asmo grinned and scooped them back up, nuzzling their jaw. “I’ll take good care of you, I promise.” He detailed all his various hair and skincare options on the walk back to his room, Jekyll held to him, and the box held to Jekyll.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>long time no post, huh? it's been a rough time for all of us. i hope everyone has been well.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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